Downing Street Christmas party row: RECAP: Boris Johnson announces Plan B measures in England as pressure mounts
Boris Johnson is set to address the public on coronavirus as ministers consider imposing new restrictions in response to rising cases and the spread of the Omicron variant.
The Prime Minister will front a press conference from Downing Street at 6pm on Wednesday, No 10 said, after considering measures including guidance to work from home and the introduction of domestic vaccine passports for events and large venues.
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Hide AdLeaked footage from No 10’s £2.6 million press briefing room emerged on Monday night which showed former press secretary Allegra Stratton laughing as she appeared to rehearse answers to questions over a lockdown-busting Christmas party.
The video, which is reported to be from December 22 last year, refers to a party on “Friday” – which would have been December 18, the same day The Daily Mirror reported there was a staff party where games were played, food and drinks were served, and revelries went on past midnight.
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Politics Live: Boris Johnson holds press conference on Covid at Downing Street
Nicola Sturgeon went on to say the time of the alleged party at Downing Street was during one of the “lowest, darkest” points in the pandemic.
“This was last Christmas – 18 and 19 December are dates engraved on my mind as perhaps one of, if not the lowest, darkest point in the whole pandemic.
“We had told people they could have some very limited normality over Christmas then at the last minute we had to snatch that away and dash people’s hopes.
“That is what makes people so angry about what was allegedly happening in Downing Street.”
Scotland’s First Minister has urged the Prime Minister to “come clean” over the reported party held at Downing Street last year.
“The Prime Minister appears to be not being straight and truthful about it,” Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC.
“That really matters because he is likely to be asking people to do difficult things again over this Christmas and it’s really important that he’s straight and honest with people – if mistakes were made, to own them, to apologise for them.”
She added: “I think this is a really serious issue for the Prime Minister and I think he has to come clean.”
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary in another point of order asks about reports that the government will announce plan B at a press conference this afternoon, and insists MPs should be told first.
The Speaker says the government has not said it wants to make a Commons statement but that statements should be made in this chamber first.
Boris Johnson has ordered an investigation into claims Downing Street staff broke lockdown rules by holding a Christmas party last year and told MPs he was “furious” about footage apparently showing aides joking about it.
Ian Blackford raises a post PMQs point of order that there are credible reports of three different Christmas parties in Downing Street, “including one in the Prime Minsters flat“
Blackford asks what opposition parties have to do to “make sure the prime minister takes responsibility for his breach of trust” and again calls for the PM to resign.
“What is worse Prime Minister, what is worse Mr Speaker, is that there are now authoritative reports of not just one, not just two, but three different Downing Street parties during lockdown last Christmas, including one in the Prime Minister’s flat?
“What do we have to do on this side of the House to make sure the Prime Minister takes responsibilities for his breach of trust, for the breach of Covid regulations, and he does the right thing on behalf of all the people on these islands, and he resigns right now?”
BBC Politics Live are without a government minister stating that no one from the government responded to their calls.
Conservative William Wragg asks the Prime Minister about the rumoured upcoming changes to Covid rules and states “very few will be convinced by this diversionary tactic”
The PM says no decisions will be taken without consulting the cabinet.
A voice from the gallery cries out “you’re finished” as the PM takes his seat.
SNP MP Stewart Hosie echos calls from SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford calling for Boris Johnson to resign.