New footage has emerged appearing to show a Christmas party at Conservative party headquarters during coronavirus restrictions in 2020.
The video, obtained by the Mirror newspaper, shows members of staff drinking alcohol at the gathering in London on 14 December 2020. At least 24 people were reportedly in attendance.
In the video, two people appear to dance past a sign saying “Please keep your distance” before colliding with a table full of buffet food. In the background, someone can be heard saying: “As long as we don’t stream that we’re like, bending the rules.”
It is understood to be the first time that video footage has emerged of one of the rule-breaking parties in Westminster.
On the day the party reportedly took place, then health secretary Matt Hancock announced that London would enter tier 3 restrictions in order to contain a surging number of Covid infections.
The party was organised by the campaign team of the unsuccessful London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, who was made a peer by Boris Johnson in his recent resignation honours list. Bailey had left the gathering before the video was taken.
The footage is likely to cause problems for Rishi Sunak, who is already battling to hold his party together amid a fallout over the report that found Johnson lied about Partygate.
It has already reignited criticism over his position on Johnson’s resignation honours, with Tory aide Ben Mallett – awarded an OBE on the list – visible in the video.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said: “Revellers openly mocked the rules the British people followed. The Tories think it’s one rule for them and one rule for everyone else.
“Instead of forcing them to face the consequences, Rishi Sunak has caved into Boris Johnson and chosen to reward them with honours. It’s a sickening insult.”
A photograph of the party formed part of a Met police investigation last year. Police found insufficient evidence of law breaking and no fines were issued, as the force said the “photo by itself is not sufficient evidence on which to assess that an offence had been committed”.
CCHQ said “formal disciplinary action” was taken against four staff members, who were seconded to the Bailey campaign, over the “unauthorised” event.
A spokesperson for the Shaun Bailey campaign said: “This is an old story. We repeatedly apologised for this event at the time. It was subject to a nearly year-long police investigation. The matter is closed.”
