Boris Johnson urged to take responsibility for 'shameful' Downing Street Christmas party

The Prime Minister faced hostility from both sides of the political divide over the apparent rule-breaking incidents, as he apologised to the public for any offence caused by newly revealed footage, and faced the resignation of his former spokeswoman following the release of incriminating video footage showing top aides seemingly joking about the breach.

The storm came on the same day he announced the reintroduction of work from home guidance and other measures designed to slow the spread of the new highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

An official investigation led by head of the civil service Cabinet Secretary Simon Case into the alleged breach of restrictions on December 18 was confirmed by Mr Johnson during his appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions, but the police will not be taking the matter any further for now, they said.

Video had emerged on Tuesday evening of Number 10 aides seemingly joking about the Christmas party, days after it is said to have been held.

The clip, obtained by ITV News, showed the Prime Minister’s then-spokeswoman Allegra Stratton joking with colleagues about cheese and wine, and whether or not attendees had been socially distanced.

Ms Stratton - who had been serving as the spokesperson for Cop26 - tearfully resigned on her doorstep, saying that she understood the “anger and frustration” people feel following the revelations.

“To all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses, I am truly sorry,” she said.

Shadow Health Minister and working A&E doctor Dr Rosena Allin-Khan recalled weeping behind her mask while working in intensive care during the pandemic while Covid patients died alone, and asked Mr Johnson: “How do you sleep at night?”

He responded by saying that he takes responsibility for everything that this Government has done” but she later told The Yorkshire Post that what he “allowed to happen on his watch is shameful”.

“It is an utter disgrace that people have followed the rules and many people’s lives will be irreversibly changed from the fact that they are grieving in a way that is abnormal - not being able to say goodbye to a loved one is hugely traumatic.

“And everything that’s happened has happened on his watch, and he has to take responsibility for that.,” Dr Allin Khan added.

“We’re hearing countless stories of people who missed their last Christmas with their mum or their dad who have subsequently passed away or who wasn’t able to say goodbye at the bedside because they were trying to follow the restrictions and keep everybody safe.

“Meanwhile, we had people in Government and our leaders partying and that really says something about the lack of respect for the wider public.”

A number of Conservative figures also broke ranks to condemn the party and Downing Street’s response, with the party’s Scottish leader saying that Mr Johnson should not continue if it emerges he has misled Parliament.

Douglas Ross said of the Prime Minister: “If he knew there was a party, if he knew it took place, then he cannot come to the House of Commons and say there was no party.

“That would be a very serious allegation if that were to be the outcome of the inquiry, and we’d have to see the outcome of the inquiry before we speculate on that.

“But anyone who says there wasn’t a party, but knew about it and said in Parliament there was no party has misled Parliament.

“That is a serious charge and you cannot continue in the highest office in the land if you’ve done that.”

The Prime Minister is also fielding criticism from several Tory backbenchers.

Sir Roger Gale, MP for North Thanet in Kent, said it was worrying that Mr Johnson did not appear to know what was happening in Downing Street.

He told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme that the PM had been “blindsided by information he was given” regarding the alleged party.

“It’s worrying, isn’t it, that the man at the top of the tree doesn’t appear to know what’s going on in his own building two floors below him – I find that of concern,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police have said that they will not “commence an investigation at this time” into the alleged breaches.

A Met statement acknowledged it had received “a significant amount of correspondence” relating to the alleged breaches in the run up to Christmas last year but said they do not “provide evidence of a breach” of Covid rules.

“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,” it added.

Mr Johnson has repeatedly insisted that rules were followed on December 18 at Number 10.