Steerpike Steerpike

Boris Johnson’s Covid Christmas quiz

mirrorpix.com

It’s hard to recall a more brutal set of Sundays for Boris Johnson. Today’s papers are dominated by ‘partygate’ in one form of another, with the most worrying splash undoubtedly being the Sunday Mirror. It features an image of a Downing Street staffer dressed in tinsel taking a picture of Johnson appearing on a Zoom call to host a Christmas quiz, under the headline: ‘Taking us for fools (again). Held on 15 December 2020, it came at a time when London was in Tier 2 which banned indoor mixing between households. The paper reports that the quiz was supposed to be virtual – but many staff (one source says around 70) stayed in No 10, huddling by computers, conferring on questions and knocking back fizz, wine and beer.

Official guidance at the time stated: ‘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.’ As the Mirror notes, the image risks undermining Downing Street’s claims last week that no parties had taken place in No. 10, with the PM asserting last week: ‘I can tell you guidelines were followed at all times. I’ve satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.’ The party came on the same day that Keir Starmer wrote to Johnson urging him to convene a COBRA meeting to discuss the worsening covid situation, with the PM subsequently ‘cancelling Christmas’ with another lockdown just four days later. Not a great look then.

The drip-drip of damaging articles continues elsewhere across Fleet Street. The Sunday Times reports that the mood in No. 10 is ‘dreadful’ with ‘fears about what else is to come’. There are more pictures which could emerge from the Christmas party, while there also tapes of a dozen or more other potentially-damaging mock press conferences conducted by Allegra Stratton.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in