Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson clash over ‘No10 Christmas party’

Boris Johnson today insisted he had ‘followed Covid rules’ as details emerged of ‘boozy lockdown bashes’ in Downing Street – including staff playing party games during an unofficial Christmas party while London was in Tier Three.  

Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson of ‘taking the British public for fools’ in the Commons this afternoon after he failed to rebut claims there had been parties in Number 10 during the run up to last Christmas. 

The Prime Minister and his Downing Street staff are accused of breaking Covid rules by hosting three festive gatherings in 2020. 

On November 27, Mr Johnson is said to have given a speech at a packed leaving do for a senior aide. 

At the time Britain was in the grip of the second lockdown, with all indoor social gatherings banned unless they involved a single household bubble. 

Then, on December 18, Downing Street staffers apparently held their own festive party featuring a Christmas quiz and Secret Santa. At that point, London was subject to Tier 3 restrictions, with indoor gatherings outlawed and the rule of six outside.  

At each of the two parties there were 40 or 50 people crammed ‘cheek by jowl’ into a medium sized room, according to the Daily Mirror. 

A source also claimed there was a third, smaller gathering on November 13 – the night Dominic Cummings walked out. 

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman did not deny the gathering had taken place but he said: “At all stages the rules have been followed.”

The PM’s press secretary added: “We don’t recognise this account, as we’ve said Covid rules have been followed at all times.”

Asked which parts of the report were being denied, she said: “I’m not going to get into individual aspects of speculation.” 

Separately, a spokesman described as ‘total nonsense’ claims Mr and Mrs Johnson had held parties in their private flat. 

Sir Keir grilled Mr Johnson on the claims at PMQs at lunchtime as he asked if a party was held on December 18 as described. 

Mr Johnson dodged the question and told the Labour leader that ‘all guidance was followed completely’. 

Sir Keir said the Covid rules at the time stated that ‘you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party’ as he added: ‘He is taking the British public for fools’.

Sir Keir asked Mr Johnson at the start of PMQs: ‘As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of people on December 18?’

Mr Johnson replied: ‘What I can tell the right honourable gentleman is that all guidance was followed completely during Number 10.

‘Can I recommend to the right honourable gentleman that he does the same with his own Christmas party which he has advertised for December 15 to which unaccountably he has failed to invite the deputy leader.’

Sir Keir hit back and said: ‘Nice try but that won’t work. The defence seems to be no rules were broken. Well, I have got the rules that were in place at the time, Prime Minister, of this party.

‘They are very clear: ‘You must not have a work Christmas lunch or party’.

‘Does the Prime Minister really expect the country to believe that while people were banned from seeing their loved ones at Christmas last year it was fine for him and his friends to throw a boozy party in Downing Street?’

Mr Johnson responded: ‘I have said what I have said about Number 10 and the events of 12 months ago.

‘But since he asks about what we are asking the country to do this year which I think is frankly a more relevant consideration, the important thing to do is not only to follow the guidance which we have set out but also when it comes to dealing with the Omicron variant to make sure that as we have said that you wear a mask on public transport and in shops.

‘And that you self-isolate if you come into contact with somebody who has Omicron and above all what we are doing is strengthening our measures at the borders.

‘But particularly, and I think this would be very valuable for everybody in here, get your booster.’ 

Sir Keir said that Mr Johnson had not denied that a party had taken place in Downing Street in the run up to Christmas last year. 

The Labour leader told the House of Commons: ‘The Prime Minister says we should concentrate on what he is asking the country to do. We are asking the country to follow the rules.

‘Now, the Prime Minister doesn’t deny there was a Downing Street Christmas party last year. He has not denied it. He says no rules were broken.

‘Both of those things can’t be true Prime Minister. He is taking the British public for fools.’ 

Asked about the claims during a round of broadcast interviews this morning, the Health Secretary Sajid Javid had insisted the coronavirus restrictions would have been adhered to in Downing Street. 

‘Whatever happened in Number 10 throughout the pandemic, I am absolutely certain all the rules around the pandemic would have been followed,’ he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

‘Obviously I can’t tell you what’s going on on a daily basis in any building, but what I can tell you is if it’s Government, especially Number 10, all the rules would have been followed at all times.’

Pressed on the Mirror report, he said: ‘You’re assuming that the news report you’re referring to is accurate. 

‘I’m sure you would have come across inaccurate news reports in the past.

‘All I can tell you is whatever happened in Number 10, all rules would have been followed at all times.’ 

A Downing Street spokeswoman said in response to the report: ‘Covid rules have been followed at all times.’