Boris Johnson told to resign over Christmas party as damning video is leaked

Boris Johnson has been told to resign after a video emerged appearing to show top Downing Street officials joking about a Christmas party they later denied occurred.

After a week of questions going largely unanswered, the allegations now appear to be gaining momentum after ITV obtained the new footage.

And the incident is already being likened to Dominic Cummings’ infamous Barnard Castle trip, which infuriated the public earlier in the pandemic.

Key officials, including the then press secretary Allegra Stratton, laughing about a ‘fictional’ party not being socially distanced and ‘cheese and wine’ not being alright in a mock press conference – before saying ‘this is recorded’.

ITV said the video was filmed four days after one of the alleged parties, at which 40-50 people were ‘cheek by jowl’, according to the Daily Mirror.

Mr Blackford, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said: ‘This video is damning and leaves the Prime Minister with a lot to answer for.

‘When every individual up and down the country was told to stay at home in order to protect the NHS, the Tories were instead having a Christmas party which, as a senior staff member has now confirmed, was “not socially distanced”.

‘If this is true, then the Prime Minister’s position is untenable and he must remove himself from office immediately.’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Mr Johnson to ‘come clean and apologise’, adding that for aides ‘to lie and to laugh about those lies is shameful’.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Johnson had insisted no rules were broken at the alleged event – but did not repeat an official denial that a party took place.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman has insisted ‘there was not a party’ but the PM declined to characterise the event during a visit to a prison in London on Tuesday.

‘What I can tell you is that all the guidelines were observed, continue to be observed,’ he said.

Asked if he investigated personally, Mr Johnson said: ‘I am satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.’

Ministers are yet to explain how the alleged bash complied with the rules in place at the time, despite facing weeks of questions since an initial report in the Daily Mirror last week.

But the Daily Telegraph suggested earlier that an archaic and little-known loophole may mean that the party could have been within the ‘rules’.

The paper cites Joshua Rozenberg QC as saying section 73 of the Public Health Control of Disease Act 1984 suggests the restrictions would not apply to government departments and royal property unless minsters say they do.

It is also unclear how Number 10 is defining a ‘Christmas party’.

Thousands of ordinary people have been prosecuted for ignoring lockdowns, attending parties and breaking quarantine during the pandemic.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

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