Doncaster Tory MP Nick Fletcher 'concerned' over Downing Street Christmas party that 'may have been held'

Doncaster’s Conservative MP Nick Fletcher has said he is ‘concerned’ around reports Number 10 Downing Street had a Christmas party during a Tier 3 lockdown last year after the Prime Minister initially denied one took place.
Nick Fletcher MP alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his recent flying visit to DoncasterNick Fletcher MP alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his recent flying visit to Doncaster
Nick Fletcher MP alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his recent flying visit to Doncaster

In a statement sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Fletcher said the matter should be ‘fully investigated’ in order to ‘to get the bottom’ of what happened.

A leaked video shows Downing Street staff joking in a mock press conference in December 2020 about a party that is said to have taken place inside Number 10. The rest of the country was in Tier 3 restrictions which banned indoor gatherings and parties.

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Allegra Stratton, the then PM’s official spokesperson who was seen laughing on the video about a ‘business meeting’ with ‘cheese and wine’ that ‘wasn’t socially distanced’, has since resigned.

For a week, the PM has denied damaging claims that his staff broke lockdown rules by holding a party last Christmas.

But since the leak, Mr Johnson apologised at Prime Minister’s Questions for the video but said he was ‘repeatedly assured that no party took place’.

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher, said: “I am concerned by reports and the recent video that suggest that a Christmas party may have been held in Downing Street last year,”

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“An investigation should take place so we can get to the bottom of what happened.”

Labour councillor Nigel Ball, who represents the Conisbrough ward in Mr Fletcher’s constituency, said: “It’s disgraceful that the Prime Minister has still not investigated or clarified what happened in Downing Street back in December 2020.

“We’ve been gaslighted on Brexit, gaslighted on Barnard Castle, gaslighted on PPE contracts, gaslighted on sleazy lobbying and now we’re being gaslighted over this ‘gathering’ or ‘party’ last Christmas.

“There is rightfully anger in the country around this because many of us for good reason obeyed the rules and did so to protect our families and friends during that dark winter. Unfortunately we have a government and a Prime Minister whose message is clear in ‘do what we say and not what we do’.”

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