Downing Street Christmas party: 'The more I read, the angrier I get'
By Digital Content Editor Dominic Hewitson
Conservative MP for North West Durham Richard Holden has reacted angrily to claims that parties took place in Downing Street last Christmas - whilst London was under tier 3 restrictions.
On Tuesday, ITV News revealed that senior Downing Street staff joked about holding a Christmas party in Number 10 just four days after the event is alleged to have taken place.
Holden was joined by Labour MP for Easington Grahame Morris, and Lord Purvis of Tweed, from the Liberal Democrats on ITV's Around the House, the three were unanimous in their condemnation of the alleged parties and called for the investigation to be done quickly.
Richard Holden described himself as 'absolutely livid' when he found out about the alleged party. He said his grandfather could 'barely visit' his grandmother leading up to her death due to the Covid-19 restrictions that were in place at the time.
Grahame Morris criticised the Met Police for not investigating the rule break. The force said there was a lack of evidence, and it was not their policy to investigate retrospective rule breaking of coronavirus restrictions.
Inciting the PMs former advisor Dominic Cummings' rulebreaking trip to Barnard Castle this year, the Labour MP said these claims were sending the message that it is 'one rule for the Prime Minister, another for everyone else.'
Lord Purvis of Tweed spent Christmas alone to avoid crossing the border, and gave some scathing comments about the Prime Minister, including 'Boris Johnson is treating us like idiots'
At the request of the Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is currently investigating whether the events in Number 10 broke the rules.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that two other alleged Covid-rule-breaking parties attended by people in government will be the subject of an official investigation.
Listen to our coronavirus podcast on the inside scoop of how ITV News obtained the leaked video showing senior Downing Street staff joking about a Christmas party: