PRESS STATEMENT regarding Downing Street and Department of Education Parties in Christmas 2020

Responding to the ITV video which shows Downing Street staff laughing last year about a Christmas party being held, Zöe Franklin, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Guildford and Cranleigh said:

"In addition to the 18th December party last year, the revelation in today's Mirror that then Minister for Education Gavin Williamson threw a party on 10th December last year in the midst of the stringent covid measures is an insult to all of us who obeyed the rules and avoided seeing friends and loved ones last Christmas. Given that Guildford's MP Angela Richardson was the Permanent Private Secretary in the Department of Education at the time I requested she clarify whether she attended Williamson's festive staff event and she has indicated she did not.

"I am pleased to hear this but I'm sure it will bring little comfort to local people who are seeing this ITV video and were separated from family and loved ones last Christmas.

"Ms Richardson should condemn the behaviour of Downing Street staff and Boris Johnson's ducking of responsibility for his team, and apologise on behalf of her party for treating the public like fools.

"Boris Johnson's Conservative party is taking this country for fools. People across Guildford and Cranleigh will see right through his poor excuses and evasive answers.

"Last Christmas so many people were away from loved ones, and sadly too many lost family and friends to this awful virus. At a time of great sacrifice when the pandemic was at its worst, it is disgraceful to think that people in Downing Street were laughing about holding a Christmas party and that Ministers were holding their own jollies for their staff whilst asking everyone else not to.

"Enough is enough. This government must be held accountable to an inquiry into all their rule-breaking; from Barnard Castle to this latest episode. It cannot be one rule for them and another for the rest of us."

8th December 2021

NOTES TO EDITORS

ITV video released overnight: https://www.itv.com/news/2021-12-07/no-10-staff-joke-in-leaked-recording-about-christmas-party-they-later-denied

Gavin Williamson Christmas Party: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-gavin-williamson-hosted-party-25641812