Boris Johnson accused of ‘staggering from one scandal to the next’ after being pictured with bubbly at Christmas quiz

Scotland Yard will review its decision not to investigate a Christmas quiz involving Boris Johnson held at Downing Street during the first year of the pandemic after a new photo emerged of the Prime Minister.

Mr Johnson has been accused of “staggering from one scandal to the next” after being pictured at the No. 10 quiz close to an open bottle of bubbly.

He was confronted about the image after it was published during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

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Obtained by The Mirror, the photo shows the Prime Minister with three members of staff with what appears to be a bottle of champagne and a half-eaten packet of crisps.

The Metropolitan Police had previously said the quiz held on December 15, 2020 did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation.

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One figure in the photo is wearing tinsel and the other a Santa hat at the event..

Shadow minister Fabian Hamilton challenged Mr Johnson over the image.

Boris Johnson waves as he leaves from 10 Downing Street in central London. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty ImagesBoris Johnson waves as he leaves from 10 Downing Street in central London. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
Boris Johnson waves as he leaves from 10 Downing Street in central London. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

The Labour MP said: “In the last few minutes a photo has emerged of the Prime Minister in Downing Street on December 15, 2020 surrounded by alcohol, food and people wearing tinsel.

“It looks a lot like one of the Christmas parties he told us never happened.”

Mr Hamilton added: “Will the Prime Minister be referring this party to the police as it is not one of the ones currently being investigated?”

Mr Johnson responded: “In what he has just said, I’m afraid he is completely in error.”

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Challenged again during PMQs, Mr Johnson added: “That event already has been submitted for investigation.”

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford accused Mr Johnson of “staggering from one scandal to the next”.

He said: "This latest boozy lockdown party picture in Downing Street is damning and it is crucial that the Metropolitan Police look to investigate it.

"Alcohol, tinsel and a party hat – if this is a work meeting then it is little wonder the Prime Minister and his broken government have failed to tackle the cost-of-living crisis hammering households.

"Boris Johnson is too engulfed in scandal to get on with the day job and his position is completely untenable.

"It is a fact that Boris Johnson broke the rules, lied about it and misled Parliament.

"There cannot be one rule for Boris Johnson and another for the rest of us. If the Prime Minister won't do the right thing and resign, then Tory MPs must do their duty and remove him."

London was under Tier 2 restrictions at the time, which prohibited social mixing between different households indoors.

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Official guidance said: “Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”

Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s hostile former chief adviser, tweeted: “There’s waaaaay better pics than that floating around, incl in the flat.”

Downing Street has insisted the event was a “virtual quiz”, but admitted “those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks”.

The Prime Minister’s press secretary insisted the event was a “virtual quiz”, but was unable to say whether the photograph had been submitted to the Sue Gray inquiry in evidence.

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