London, Thanasis Gavos
Charges of lying and “mockery” of British citizens are being addressed by Downing Street officials as well as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom himself in connection with a Christmas party last year.
The accusations are made by the opposition after the revelation on Tuesday night by the television station ITV of a video in which associates of Boris Johnson refer to laughing at the party that press reports say took place in a hall of the house housing the Prime Minister’s Office on December 18, 2020 , while London was closed to the public.
Mr. Johnson has repeatedly avoided confirming or denying that the party was crowded with up to 50 associates in one room, repeatedly reiterating that there was no breach of the restrictive measures. He is believed to have been absent.
However, ITV aired a video from December 22, 2020, four days after the alleged party, in which associates of the Prime Minister rehearse for a press conference in the then new Downing Street newsroom.
Ed Oldfield’s adviser is heard asking then-spokeswoman Allegra Stratton, a former ITV and BBC reporter, if information about an illegal party on Downing Street is true and if Boris Johnson would approve it. Ms Stratton laughs awkwardly, says she “went home” and asks Mr. Oldfield what he should answer. A voice is heard saying “it was not a party, it was cheese and wine” and then the spokeswoman laughs saying that it was a business meeting, without keeping distance.
Opposition Labor Party leader Sir Kir Starmer said Tuesday night that “citizens across the country were following the rules, even if it meant being separated from their families, in a general ban and tragic for many unable to say goodbye to their loved ones “. He added that these citizens had the right to expect the government to do the same.
“It is shameful for them to lie and laugh about these lies. The Prime Minister must now tell the truth and apologize. “One rule may not apply to the Conservatives and another to everyone else.”
Downing Street also insisted on Tuesday that the party never took place, provoking strong reactions on social media.
It is noted that the Metropolitan Police has said that it is examining allegations that it has received for violating the rules of the pandemic in Downing Street, where according to reports other parties had taken place during the lockdown period.
In fact, the Daily Mirror, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, has written that the parties were “obsession” of the Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Simonts.
Prime Minister Johnson has been under increasing pressure since Tuesday night following the revelation of a letter from his parliamentary aide and NW MP Trudy Harrison to the British zoo owner in Kabul that he had finally received permission to evacuate his military flight. the hasty evacuation of the Afghan capital in August.
A Foreign Office official complained that the evacuation operation was “chaotic” and that Foreign Ministry officials were not interested in the plight of Afghans who were in danger of collaborating with British forces and wanted to leave the country to escape the Taliban.
The official, Rafael Marshall, 25, also claimed that it was on Mr Johnson’s orders that the animals were evacuated so that they could take the positions of people in danger on the flight. Carrie Simonts is also involved in the complaints, as a friend of an associate of the zoo owner.
Mr Johnson dismissed the allegations as “utter nonsense”, but a letter from his parliamentary aide, which he signed, set fire to the prime minister’s office.
Downing Street responds that Ms. Harrison informed the zoo owner, former soldier Penn Faring, about the evacuation permit in her capacity as an MP. Political commentators, however, were quick to point out that Mr. Farthing does not live in Mrs. Harrison’s district.
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