Over the last week, claims that Downing Street held a party in December 2020 while the country faced strict coronavirus rules has caused uproar.
So much so that prime minister Boris Johnson has now announced that cabinet secretary Simon Case will investigate whether the party took place – despite the PM and other ministers categorically denying it and claiming Downing Street consistently followed Covid rules during the period.
But the apparent 18 December bash is not the only alleged event that has emerged in which Downing Street staff may have displayed a rather loose understanding of social distancing and not socialising with other households – whether they worked together or not.
Here are all the parties the government allegedly held during last year’s lockdown:
Flat party
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On 13 November, during the second national lockdown when people worked from home and were banned from meeting people from outside their household, it has been alleged by one Dominic Cummings that Johnson’s then fiancee, Carrie Symonds, hosted a flat party. No wonder they needed gold wallpaper. On the same day, Johnson also allegedly gave a speech for Lee Cain as he left his role as director of communications, triggering questions that this event may have counted as a leaving party.
Johnson has denied that the flat party took place.
Leaving party
Also in the second national lockdown, it has been reported that a leaving do was organised in No 10 for Cleo Watson, a former aide to Cummings, on 27 November.
Sources have claimed Johnson personally attended and gave a speech in which he even spoke about how full the room was.
A source told the Mail: “It wasn’t a party as such, certainly not a Christmas party. It was a whole bunch of people who work in the same building coming together to say goodbye to a very popular member of staff.
“Was drink taken? Yes. Did the PM drop in? Yes. Did people think they were doing anything wrong? No, but in hindsight it’s not a great look.”
Cummings said the party didn’t take place and that people should focus on the alleged 13 November flat party.
There was no party on Fri 27/11. Red herring. A staff member left their job. Walked to press office to say bye, PM bumbled in & started babbling, everyone embarrassed, dispersed. Focus shd be actual party in PM's flat Fri 13/11 reported AT THE TIME but ignored by lobby!
— Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) December 9, 2021
Gavin Williamson dishes out the canapes
On 10 December last year, London was under strict tier two rules, meaning people were prohibited from socialising with other households.
On the same day, the Mirror reports, up to two dozen of the then education secretary Gavin Williamson’s staff gathered in the department for education cafe for “drinks and canapes” and to listen to him give a short speech.
One source reportedly told the publication: “There were lots of people gathered in the cafe area, mingling and drinking wine. It was just so reckless”.
Another added: “He hosted a drinks do when people were considering whether they could spend Christmas with their families” and the department didn’t deny the event and said “it would have been better” not to have held the event while the rest of the country was banned from doing so.
A spokesman for the department told the Metro: “On December 10 2020 a gathering of colleagues who were already present at the office – and who had worked together throughout the pandemic, as they couldn’t work from home – took place in the DfE office building in London at a time when the city was subject to Tier 2 restrictions.”
Conservative aides throw a bash at HQ
The Conservative party has admitted that a party organised by Shaun Bailey’s mayoral campaign took place on 14 December.
While London was still staring down the barrel of a long stint in tier two, the Times reports that the “raucous” party took place in the HQ’s basement, and was attended by No 10 aides who drank wine and danced the night away.
A Tory spokesman said: “Senior CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of December 14.
“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”
Downing Street’s Christmas Party
And that brings us to the alleged party that’s been on everyone’s lips. On 18 December it was reported that Downing Street officials attended an organised party which apparently involved Secret Santa, drinks and getting “rat-arsed”.
While ministers have been quick to say a lot of words that mean absolutely nothing – in essence trying to deny the party – numerous sources have confirmed it to numerous publications and a video of staff discussing how they would respond to questions from the media about it recently surfaced, triggering Johnson’s spokesperson at the time – Allegra Stratton – to resign over her role in the affair.
The government’s guidance for the Christmas period last year specifically said: “Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”
There was also a specific prohibition on organising an indoor gathering of more than 30 people and London was in tier three by then, meaning no gatherings of two or more people.
The day after the party – which Johnson is not reported to have attended – he announced that families were not to meet during the festive period if they lived in different households.
Christmas quiz
At another point in December, according to various reports, a Christmas quiz was apparently held for officials and Conservative advisers working in Downing Street. They were asked to get into teams and attended wearing Christmas jumpers.
Downing Street told the Times the quiz was virtual but admitted some people joined from their offices if they were not working from home.
Goodness. We all know that parties often lead to hangovers, but few events trigger headaches so long lasting, that they reverberate round attendees’ skulls as much as a year later.
Indy100 has contacted Downing Street to comment on this story.
