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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
John Stevens & Ruth Suter

List of people in Tory lockdown party as Partygate video exposed

The Tories are under fire over another Partygate crisis after footage showed staff boozing, dancing and mocking lockdown laws at the peak of the Covid pandemic.

The video, reported by the Mirror, shows officials joking about the rule-bending bash at the Tory Campaign HQ.

At least 24 people were involved in the Christmas party and shockingly include two named on ex-PM Boris Johnson's resignation honours list. Officers at Scotland Yard say the footage, taken on December 14, 2020, was being reviewed.

Bereaved families who lost loved ones in the pandemic accused Tory aides captured dancing around in the video as "dancing on the graves of those who died".

In a grovelling apology on live television, Cabinet minister Michael Gove described the video as "terrible" and “unacceptable”. Here we look at some of those who were at the party.

Shaun Bailey was the Conservative Party's candidate for London mayor (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Shaun Bailey

The event was organised in the basement of the building by Shaun Bailey, the party’s candidate for London mayor at the time. When the Mirror first published a picture of the gathering two years ago, Mr Bailey apologised "unreservedly" for the event and resigned as chair of the London Assembly's police and crime committee.

He tweeted: "I gave a speech to my team to thank them... it was a serious error of judgment at a time when Londoners were making immense sacrifices to keep us all safe and I regret it wholeheartedly."

Mr Bailey was given a peerage in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list a week ago. He is now facing pressure not to take up his place in the House of Lords.

He does not appear in the new video and it is understood he had left the party before the footage was taken.

He was seen in the Partygate video wearing festive braces and holding a glass of red wine (Mirror)

Ben Mallet

One of the Tories who does feature in the video is Ben Mallet, who was awarded an OBE in Mr Johnson's list. Mr Mallet, filmed holding a glass of red wine and wearing festive braces, was the Tories' campaign director for the 2021 London mayoral election. He now runs the campaign of Moz Hossain, who wants to stand in next year's mayoral race.

Mr Hossain has refused to say whether Mr Mallet will remain in charge of his campaign following the publication of the video. Mr Mallet is friends with Carrie Johnson and served as strategy director on Mr Johnson’s successful 2019 Tory leadership campaign.

The pair knocked over wine glasses as they spiralled into a table laden with buffet food (Mirror)

Malin Bogue and Jack Smith

In the video, revellers are shown dancing past a sign that says "Please keep your distance". The footage shows a couple knocking over wine glasses as they spiral into a table laden with buffet food.

The unsteady pair twirl each other around to the sounds of The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. The woman, who is wearing a red dress, is Malin Bogue.

The American, who is the daughter of a wealthy businessman from San Francisco, was director of special projects on Mr Johnson’s successful 2019 Conservative leadership bid. She now works for lobbying firm Stonehaven as a senior consultant.

Mr Smith is a parliamentary aide to Tory energy minister Graham Stuart. The pair were working on Mr Bailey’s campaign team when the video was shot. Mr Smith was head of social media.

Property tycoon Nick Candy is married to former Neighbours actress and pop star Holly Valance (PA)

Nick Candy

Billionaire Tory donor and property developer Nick Candy also attended the party and could be seen wearing a grey suit jacket in the picture that emerged two years ago. However, he does not appear in the new video. The tycoon is married to former Neighbours actress and pop star Holly Valance.

He and his brother Christian were behind the luxury One Hyde Park development. One of the penthouses became Britain’s most expensive home when he bought it for himself for £160million. Last year, he unsuccessfully bid to buy Chelsea Football Club.

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