A few days after a party apparently held at the UK Conservative Party headquarters, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a series of tighter restrictions in the worst-affected areas of the country.
The British newspaper The Mirror published a video showing party officials drinking, dancing, and joking about breaking the rules imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The footage was reportedly recorded on December 14, 2020, when socializing in enclosed spaces was banned in much of the country. In the video, someone can be heard joking about breaking the rules as two people dance in front of a sign that reads, “Please keep your distance.” At least 24 people took part in this alleged Christmas party in London.
It has been mentioned that the gathering was organized by the campaign team of former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, who was included in Boris Johnson’s honors list during his recent resignation. However, it is unclear which Conservative politicians were present at the party and who leaked the images.
A few days after this celebration, Boris Johnson announced tighter restrictions, which meant that people in the areas most affected by COVID-19 could not join their families over Christmas.
The revelation of the video has been criticized by Labour Party politicians, who have accused the Conservatives of openly flouting the rules that British citizens were supposed to follow. Angela Rayner, MP, claimed that the Conservatives believe there is one rule for them and another for everyone else. She also expressed outrage that instead of facing the consequences, some party officials were honored by the government. This revelation comes at a time when the Conservative Party was hoping to put the scandal known as ‘partygate’ behind it after a report was published last week concluding that Boris Johnson had misled Parliament, leading to his resignation from parliamentary membership.