Westminster Christmas parties controversy

10 Downing Street is a large government building in central London used by some staff in the Cabinet Office. It also contains a personal flat designated for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, uses the larger flat in the adjoining 11 Downing Street.

In response to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, a second national lockdown started in England on 5 November 2020. A regional tiered lockdown system replaced this on 2 December.[3] London was initially placed in "Tier 2", and was moved to "Tier 3" on 16 December and finally the highest level, "Tier 4", on 19 December. Socialising with anyone other than those you live with or your support bubble was not allowed throughout this period.[4]

There has been some debate as to whether the COVID-19 restrictions, that rely on the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, legally applied to 10 Downing Street as it is Crown Land. An article in The Spectator argued that they do not,[5] while a second article argued that they do, on the basis that relevant COVID-19 laws applied to individuals rather than land.[6]

On 30 November 2021, the Daily Mirror reported allegations that some Downing Street staff had held multiple gatherings in November and December 2020,[7] after the official Christmas party was cancelled due to COVID-19 regulations in place at the time. At the time of the alleged events, London was under COVID-19 tier 3 lockdown restrictions.[8] The restrictions prohibited indoor gatherings of more than six people, with exceptions for certain work-related activities.[9] The first event was said to have been a leaving party for an aide on 27 November and allegedly attended by Johnson. The second event was said to have been a Christmas party held on 18 December.[10] The official response to the report in The Mirror was that "Covid rules have been followed at all times".[11] Johnson denied that any rules were broken, and a spokesperson denied that a party occurred.[1][2]

The following day, other media outlets reported further details of the alleged event on 18 December, with BBC News reporting it involved "drinks, nibbles, and games" and a source told The Financial Times that parties were vital for Downing Street staff to relieve stress. Downing Street responded by saying "We don't recognise these accounts". At Prime Minister's Questions, Johnson told the House of Commons "All guidance was followed completely during Number 10". On 3 December, Labour MP Barry Gardiner wrote to the Metropolitan Police asking them to investigate but they responded saying that they do not normally investigate "retrospective breaches of the Covid-19 regulations". Vaccines minister Maggie Throup appeared on Question Time and stated "all guidance was followed" and dismissed reports about the alleged party as "rumour and hearsay". On 5 December, Dominic Raab told Andrew Marr that if a "formal party" had taken place "then of course it would be wrong" but that the reports were based on "unsubstantiated, anonymous claims" which is why Downing Street did not respond more directly.[11] On 6 December, former government adviser Dominic Cummings alleged that unnamed journalists attended the reported party and that it was "very unwise for No 10 to lie" about the events.[12][11] The Prime Minister's spokeperson reiterated "There was not a party and Covid rules have been followed at all times" and when challenged about how this could be true responded "I don’t need to get into the positions we’ve taken. It is simply just a statement of fact".[11]

On 7 December 2021, ITV News released a video, in which Allegra Stratton and other Downing Street staff – during a mock press conference on 22 December 2020 – made joking references to a Christmas gathering in 10 Downing Street four days earlier on 18 December 2020.[13] The leaked 47-second clip,[14] filmed from the Downing Street Press Briefing Room,[15] began with media advisor Ed Oldfield playing the role of a journalist and asking Stratton "I’ve just seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night, do you recognise those reports?" In response, Stratton and other Downing Street staff joked about the "fictional party" being just "cheese and wine" and a "business meeting", with "no social distancing".[16] The Guardian reported that the video gave "the strong impression that a staff-based party took place on 18 December 2020 and that No 10 officials realised that they were likely to have broken rules".[16] BBC News reported that the event had "several dozen" attendees, and that "party games were played, food and drink were served, and the party went on past midnight".[8] On The Times reported allegations that the party was organised via WhatsApp with staff requested to bring Secret Santa gifts.[17]

On 8 December, following the release of the video and in response to further requests for an investigation, the Metropolitan Police said that they had "received a significant amount of correspondence relating to allegations reported in the media that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations were breached at gatherings at No 10 Downing Street in November and December 2020" and that "all this correspondence has been considered by detectives in detail, as well as footage published by ITV News". They concluded that the "correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach of the Health Protection Regulations, but restates allegations made in the media. Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time".[18]

According to BBC News on 9 December, Jack Doyle, the deputy Downing Street Director of Communications at the time, was understood to have attended the event on 18 December, gave a speech, and handed out awards at the function.[19] On 10 December, the government's Chief Whip Mark Spencer said that the event had been a "meeting", rather than a social gathering.[20] Some media outlets referred to the developing controversy over the alleged events as "Partygate".[21][22][23] The New York Times commented that, according to some, the government was not following the rules it had set for the general population.[24]

On 11 December 2021, reports emerged that two dozen HM Treasury staff gathered for drinks on 25 November to celebrate Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Autumn Spending Review.[25] On 12 December 2021 Downing Street confirmed that Johnson "briefly" took part in a virtual Christmas quiz held at the venue on 15 December 2020 after the Sunday Mirror published a picture of him participating via his computer in the event, in a room with two other people. Downing Street said he was there to thank staff for their work during the pandemic and that the event was a "virtual" one, while Johnson himself responded that he "certainly broke no rules".[26][27] The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also confirmed that staff working past normal employment hours drank alcohol and ate takeaway "late into the night" on a number of occasions during COVID restrictions after this was reported by the Sunday Mirror. A DWP spokesman said: "The team regularly worked late into the evening and on a number of occasions they ate takeaway food and drank some alcohol".[28]

Northern Ireland First Minister, Paul Givan, and his deputy Michelle O'Neill, alleged that the controversy had damaged the public health message in Northern Ireland.[29] On 12 December 2021, The Independent reported that senior police officers feared people would be less likely to comply with any new COVID restrictions because of the controversy. The newspaper said they had gathered anecdotal evidence of terse exchanges between police officers and members of the public in the days following the onset of the scandal.[30]

On 15 December 2021, former Conservative candidate as Mayor of London, Shaun Bailey, resigned from his position as chair of the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee, after photographs were published of him and over 20 members of staff at an event with drinks and a buffet held in the basement of Conservative Campaign Headquarters on 14 December 2020, when he was a mayoral candidate. Those attending included four aides seconded from Conservative Central Office, who were later reported to have been disciplined. Cabinet member Grant Shapps stated that the event was "absolutely unacceptable", and not authorised by the Conservative Party.[31][32]

It has been alleged that seven parties that may have been in contravention of COVID-19 restrictions occurred between 13 November and 18 December 2020 overall:[33][34][35]

• 13 November 2020: alleged leaving party for Lee Cain, the Prime Minister's departing director of communications, at 10 Downing Street
• 13 November 2020: alleged related party in the Prime Minister's personal flat (physically in 11 Downing Street)
• 27 November 2020: another alleged leaving party at 10 Downing Street; covered by the Cabinet investigation
• 10 December 2020: Christmas party at the Department for Education's café hosted by the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson; a Department spokesman said that a "a gathering of colleagues who were already present at the office" had taken place;[36] covered by the Cabinet investigation
• 14 December 2020: Christmas party held by Shaun Bailey for his campaign team; Bailey admitted the party took place and has resigned, with disciplinary action taken against four Conservative Party employees[37]
• 18 December 2020: Christmas gathering at 10 Downing Street; covered by the Cabinet investigation
• unknown date: alleged Christmas quiz at 10 Downing Street

At Prime Minister's Questions on 8 December, Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised for the video of the mock press conference, describing himself as "furious" about it, but maintained that, as far as he knew from senior staff, a party had not taken place and declared that an investigation would be undertaken by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.[38][39] Three hours later, Stratton resigned from her position as spokesperson for the COP26 summit.[40][41]

On 9 December, it was announced that the inquiry would focus on three events, two at 10 Downing Street on 27 November and 18 December 2020, and one at the Department for Education on 10 December 2020.[42] Boris Johnson is alleged to have attended the event on 27 November under inquiry.[43]

• Dominic Cummings scandal
• Oireachtas Golf Society scandal