A previously unseen footage has surfaced, revealing the extent of rule-breaking and mockery of lockdown regulations at a Christmas party held at the Conservative Campaign Headquarters in London, as per The Mirror media outlet. The video captures officials engaged in revelry, joking about their disregard for lockdown rules. Shockingly, among the 24 attendees were two individuals named in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s controversial resignation honours list. As per local media outlets, the Met Police is ‘considering’ this new partygate footage.
Disregarding lockdown distancing measures
In the footage by The Mirror, officials can be seen dancing and joking near a sign that indicated maintaining distancing. The revelry took place on December 14, 2020, at a time when large parts of the UK were under restrictions that prohibited indoor socialising.
The video sheds new light on the event, reigniting criticism of Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic and sparking outrage from families who lost loved ones to COVID-19.
Investigation and political fallout
Last year, a widely circulated photograph from the party led to a Metropolitan Police investigation. However, with only still images available, authorities found insufficient evidence to pursue legal action. The emergence of the damning video has prompted the Met Police to reassess the possibility of reopening the investigation.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, condemned the revelers’ behavior and criticised the difference in rules followed by the politicians and the rules for the general public.
The party was organised by the campaign team of Shaun Bailey, who was then a candidate for London Mayor. Bailey has recently received the title of Lord as part of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours.
The video shows Ben Mallet, who received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the same honours list and served as the campaign director for the Tories’ London mayoral election.
The video captured during the event shows Mallet holding a wine glass while the iconic song “Fairytale of New York” plays in the background. In the footage, a man exclaims, “Oh Christ,” upon realizing he is being recorded, and someone asks, “Are you filming this?”
Another person responds, “It’s for party, erm, party use.” Another individual remarks, “As long as we are not streaming that we’re, like, bending the rules.” The identities of all the Conservatives present at the party and the source of the leaked footage remain unclear. It is unknown who specifically attended the gathering and who made the video public.
Mallet currently manages the campaign of Moz Hossain, a prospective mayoral candidate for next year.
Mocking the rules
The footage captures attendees knocking over wine glasses, dancing without regard for social distancing, and openly joking about breaking the rules. The revelations come shortly after a UK parliamentary committee damning report accused Boris Johnson of repeatedly misleading MPs about lockdown-breaching gatherings.
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The emergence of such evidence adds to the scrutiny surrounding the conduct of politicians and their adherence to the rules during a time of national crisis.
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