By Ashley Young-
UK prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce fresh restrictions in England to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, as he faced new questions over parties held in Downing Street last Christmas.
Johnson’s decision to act is perceived to be a “dead cat” move to deflect attention from the uproar over a leaked video of a mock Downing Street press conference showing staff laughing about the party, which breached Covid-19 rules.
Insiders reportedly informed The Financial Times about the imminent plans, yet to be confirmed by the government.
However, in the House of Commons, senior Tory William Wragg challenged Mr Johnson about reports that a Cabinet meeting and press conference were planned “to initiate Covid winter Plan B”.
The chairman of the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee told the him: “Very few will be convinced by this diversionary tactic.”
Mr Johnson replied: “No decisions will be taken without consulting the Cabinet.”
An announcement to impose restrictions on the public whilst the scandal of parties by government staff is still fresh will not be a very wise move at all. The public will need to be confident that appropriate consequences results from the revelation, otherwise the public will lose all confidence in the government.
Investigation
The prime minister said an investigation by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has been launched to “establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible.
Johnson added that: “It goes without saying that if those rules were broken then there will be disciplinary action for all those involved”.
He insisted again that he had been “repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Those assurances have been proved false, and many believe sackings are the only way to restore public confidence.
Ministers on the Covid-19 operations committee met on Wednesday to decide on the exact measures. One government insider suggested the work from home order could be implemented as soon as Wednesday night.
Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer is set to push Johnson to explain the footage during prime minister’s questions as the prime minister grapples with growing condemnation from his own backbenchers for the apparent breach of the rules.
Multiple sources have said that a party took place at No 10 on December 18 last year, when parties were illegal under the coronavirus restrictions then in force. Johnson has insisted that no such party happened.
UK health secretary Sajid Javid pulled out of several national broadcast interviews on Wednesday morning after the video, which was published by ITV News, emerged, as No 10 grapples with how to respond.
Javid had been due to discuss the UK’s vaccination efforts on the BBC and Sky News, as well as several radio stations, to mark a year since the first coronavirus jab was administered.
Former education secretary Gavin Williamson was also reported to have held a Christmas party in his department last December.
A spokeswoman for the education department confirmed a “gathering” had taken place and apologised.
“Drinks and snacks were brought by those attending and no outside guests or supporting staff were invited or present,” she said. “While this was work-related, looking back we accept it would have been better not to have gathered in this way at that particular time.”
The internal video published by ITV News was from a mock Downing Street press conference on December 22, when Allegra Stratton, then Johnson’s press secretary, was asked if any Christmas parties were held.
“I went home,” she laughed, before telling her colleagues to “hold on”. Stratton asked aides present: “What’s the answer?” One suggested: “It wasn’t a party, it was cheese and wine”.
“This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced,” she joked.