Boris Johnson under pressure over alleged Downing Street Christmas party
It's alleged to have happened on 18 December last year
Last updated 27th May 2022
The Government has come under criticism after footage emerged which allegedly shows staff talking about a Christmas party held at Downing Street.
The Prime Minister is facing calls to "come clean" on apparently breaking lockdown restrictions last year, but the Government has refused to send a minister to talk on the matter this morning.
Leaked footage from No 10's ÂŁ2.6 million press briefing room emerged, appearing to show former press secretary Allegra Stratton laughing when rehearsing answers to questions over the Christmas party.
The ITV exclusive video, reported to be from December 22 last year, refers to a party held on "Friday", which would have been December 18.
That's the same date on which The Daily Mirror reported there to be a staff party where games were played, food and drinks were served past midnight.
Downing Street did not say the reports were false but said all rules had been followed, though later denied that any party had occurred.
A separate clip emerged of Jacob Rees-Mogg yesterday, which appeared to show him joking about the alleged Christmas party last year during a recent speech.
Rees-Mogg said "this party is not going to be investigated by the police in a year's time", to which everyone laughed.
The Prime Minister is expected to come under fire in Parliament today and will be under increasing pressure when he faces Labour Leader Kier Starmer during Prime Minster's Questions.
Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy called on the Prime Minister to "come clean" with the British public.
Boris Johnson is likely to be the first to comment since the Downing Street footage emerged, after no Cabinet minister was offered to represent the Government in this morning's broadcast interviews.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup are both understood to have pulled out of planned interviews.
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