Britain’s senior-most bureaucrat, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, will no longer investigate the Downing Street lockdown Christmas parties, which have been dubbed the “Christmas party scandal” or the “Partygate” investigation.
The matter went down because two rule-breaking parties were allegedly held in their own office.
The investigation, ordered by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, will now be carried out by Sue Grey, the second permanent secretary of the Department for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities. Tory MP Richard Holden recently described Gray as ‘formidable’ and ‘not a pushover’. He was described on BBC Newsnight as “the most powerful man I’ve ever met”.
While the case was to share the findings of its investigation with his resignation as investigator on 17 December, it has been delayed.
Which case was to be investigated?
An investigation is underway to find out whether the three Christmas parties that took place on Downing Street on 27 November, 15 December and 18 December and the Department of Education on 10 December 2020 broke down. COVID-19 Protocols existed at that time. London was then subject to Tier 3 restrictions, which meant that parties and social events were banned.
Under Tier 3 restrictions or “Very High Alert”, no mixing was allowed indoors. Some outdoor public spaces such as parks and public parks can accommodate up to six people. Restaurants etc. were allowed to operate only as takeaways or to do business through drive-thru facilities.
In addition, only 15 guests were allowed for weddings, civic participation and Jagrans and 30 for funerals. Wedding receptions were not allowed.
‘Partygate’ investigation, what is going on?
It all started when a video leaked online mocking Johnson’s senior aides for breaking lockdown rules by attending a Christmas party. The leaked video drew criticism from the public and opposition over the Conservative government’s violation of COVID-19 protocols, especially when due to restrictions, many were unable to celebrate Christmas.
Leaked video shows senior Downing Street employees at ITV News at a mock press briefing for Downing Street’s proposed daily TV media briefing on December 22, 2020.
In the clip, Ed Oldfield, Johnson’s special adviser, is asked about reports on Twitter about a Christmas party on Downing Street by Allegra Stratton (Johnson’s former spokeswoman, who resigned soon after the video surfaced). , Stratton laughs and replies that she went home.
Oldfield then asks Stratton if the prime minister would have pardoned such a party, to which Stratton says, “Is cheese and wine okay? It was a business meeting…”
She later jokes, “It’s recorded. This imaginary party was a business meeting… and it wasn’t social distancing.” A source in Downing Street who knew about the party told ITV News: “We all know someone who died of Covid and after seeing all this in the newspapers, I couldn’t say anything. I am very angry with all this, the way it is being denied.”
The ITV report also stated that the police were actively looking for the breaker at the time. In fact, London’s Metropolitan Police intervened when they learned that around 40 people were attending a wedding. The wedding took place on December 17, just a day before the alleged Downing Street party.
The Metropolitan Police tweeted about the wedding, “Officials have canceled a wedding that was attended by 40 people. Holding large gatherings can be the difference between life and death for someone else. #London is in Tier 3. You shouldn’t mix with someone who isn’t in your home or in a support bubble. ,
Police have said they will not investigate Downing Street’s allegations because it is their policy not to look into retrospective violations of COVID-19 protocols.
What has been Johnson’s position on the investigation?
Johnson has repeatedly denied that any rules were broken in Downing Street. Additionally, the Mirror reported that Johnson himself hosted a quiz at 10 Downing Street last Christmas “in clear violation of lockdown rules”.
An analysis by Nick Eardley for the BBC stated that “it is extremely shameful for the government and the cabinet secretary that they are now seen as having conflicts of interest in this investigation.”
“The big picture is that Boris Johnson has suffered a few weeks that his party is upset. The list is long; The handling of the sledge charges, the record Tory rebellion in the Commons, the loss of an incredibly secure seat, the continued fallout from the allegations of Christmas parties in Whitehall,” Eardley notes.
The rebellion refers to hesitation expressed by about 30 Tory lawmakers who are not in favor of Johnson’s ‘Plan-B sanctions’. England amid the rapid spread of omicron Types of coronavirus in country.
The loss of the seat refers to the by-election results for the North Shropshire seat that the Tories had held for nearly 200 years. Following the results of the by-elections, Johnson said he accepted responsibility for the results, but added that one of the biggest issues of the past few weeks was “what people are hearing about politics.” There are some things and politicians and things that are not about them and things that we can do to make life better”.
The situation turned even more dire for Johnson on Tuesday, when the Daily Mirror published a photo showing 24 people crowding together in a room at the Tories’ Westminster headquarters for an event organized by the campaign of the party’s London mayoral candidate Sean Bailey. was shown in was shown in After the picture was published, Bailey stepped down as chairman of the Police and Crime Committee of the London Assembly.
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The Daily Mirror says this photo was taken on December 14, 2020, when London was under Tier 2 restrictions that prohibited people from meeting in homes other than their own. The report also said that hours after the party, then Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced Tier 3 restrictions for London.
Hancock resigned from his position in June after admitting that he had violated social distancing His resignation comes after photos published by The Sun showed him hugging his colleague Gina Coldanzello.