Downing St Christmas Party - what's behind this?

[Leafyhouse]

Presumably someone knew about this for a year. And they've waited until just before Christmas to release it - and not all at once. They drip-fed allegations, waited for ministerial denials, then a few days later released damning video footage. I have 2 theories:

1. The media are looking for a scalp. Boris preferably, or perhaps Keir if he doesn't take the fight to the PM satisfactorily.

1. Rishi Sunak supporters. There's a perception that Boris needs to go, and the 1922 committee will show their hand soon.

1. Anti lockdown supporters. It looks like we may have to lockdown further before Christmas, and they're hell bent on undermining the PM's ability to do it.

What worries me is that no-one in the media is asking these questions. Which makes me think they're complicit.

AIBU to think we're being played like fools here?

[Rade]

That was my first thought when I saw that video.
The audience were staff and colleagues. One of them surreptitiously filmed it, then sat on it for a year. The sheer treachery and malice is astounding.
It would have been dynamite a year ago so why wait?
Not that I in any way condone a rule breaking party but WTF?

[Youngatheart00]

Yes I do think the timing is very strange. Surely it would have been more topical (and caused more outrage) if this news were leaked in Jan/ Feb when we were all still in lockdown

I’m disappointed but not surprised that they had a party, although I’m struggling to get too excited about something that happened a year ago

[Redcrayons]

The timing is certainly suspicious.
However if they didn’t have the party then they wouldn’t be where they are. Same with Hancock, if he’d kept in his pants, he’d still be in a job.

[mrsbyers]

I think the whole party thing is being over egged , from my understanding it was an after hours Christmas drink involving Downing Street staff who work together

[YellowRollNeck]

It’s obviously been timed to coincide with the next impending lockdown. Who the hell os going to follow the rules this time after knowing what happened last Christmas?

[DraigFach]

I'm wondering what the government are trying to bury beneath the party story, the timing is just ridiculous...unless it is a Tory coup to try and oust Johnson in favour of the next puppet PM who may actually publicly behave themselves.

[Leafyhouse]

I hadn't thought about Dominic Cummings. But this is classic tactics. The king-maker at work.

[Redcrayons]

@mrsbyers

I think the whole party thing is being over egged , from my understanding it was an after hours Christmas drink involving Downing Street staff who work together

The point is it wasn’t allowed. You couldn’t socialize indoors with anyone outside of your household or bubble.
There was a secret santa, drinks, games. This wasn’t half a dozen people having a glass of wine at 5 o’clock.

[Pedalpushers]

I think it's meant to undermine any new restrictions that are about to come in.

[flipflop76]

I sure there was journalists at the party which is why is isn't top news.

[Xiaoxiong]

My SIL told us about this a year ago, she is friends with a SpAd. I had completely forgotten about it until now.

I think there is someone in the Tories trying to thwart the government bringing in a lockdown.

[lobsterkiller]

I'm wondering too if this is to get rid of Johnson, so he can be replaced by someone more "credible" for the '24 election.

The bottom line is the party happened, it shouldn't have done. The people of this country followed the law, as set out by this government who undermined it.

I think Cummings too, isn't he very good friends with Gove?

[girlmom21]

I don't know why they didn't just say it was a business meeting with food due to it running late into the evening. It was a bit stupid of them to just keep saying "all rules were followed".

It would've even been better for them just to say "yes, sorry, we messed up" than carry on this charade.

But anyway, there's a rat somewhere. They never told us who distributed the Matt Hancock video but I'd assume whoever has done this did that one too.

The problem is, the government are about to announce another bunch of restrictions which nobody's going to follow because what's the point in sacrificing our year of your life when the law makers aren't?

[Bigassbeebuzzbuzz]

I dont even know what's going on anymore.
Boris and his gaggle are all pathetic doing nothing more but denying any rules were broken. Then they expect us to put up with more restrictions? Sorry but no. First Cummings with his eye test story, then Hancock with his affair now this.
The lot of them are liars and cheats and need someone to hold them accountable

[ApricotCrush]

I can't comment on the party, but that video couldn't have been filmed on 22nd December as the new conference room wasn't unveiled until 16th March.

[A580Hojas]

Completely agree with you and others OP - the dark machinations behind the release of this video are far more fascinating than the story itself! Has the owner of the video been named and if not why not?

[girlmom21]

@ApricotCrush

I can't comment on the party, but that video couldn't have been filmed on 22nd December as the new conference room wasn't unveiled until 16th March.

Oh I thought that video was filmed this week as a mockery of the news story

[ApricotCrush]

It says underneath that it was filmed on 22nd December.

[DrSbaitso]

Anti lockdown supporters. It looks like we may have to lockdown further before Christmas, and they're hell bent on undermining the PM's ability to do it.

I think this is it, personally. I expect it's why the Matt Hancock video got released when it did as well; he was in favour of more restrictions.

Someone has been keeping their powder dry...

[MarshaBradyo]

I really want to know too

Is it Cummings with a long standing campaign?

He probably does know that drip drip like this will undermine most

[DrSbaitso]

@ApricotCrush

I can't comment on the party, but that video couldn't have been filmed on 22nd December as the new conference room wasn't unveiled until 16th March.

Unveiled to the public, but not unready for use?

[HangingDitch]

The party is almost the side show to the main event, namely Boris’ almost pathological inability to tell the truth.

If they’d just fessed up and apologised it’s likely to have been forgotten by now. Instead it’s grown 13 heads and is totally dominating the news.

[thebellagio]

I suspect gove and Cummings are making a move to oust Johnson

[urbanbuddha]

One of them surreptitiously filmed it, then sat on it for a year.

It wasn't filmed surreptitiously. Allegra Stratton refers to the fact that it's being recorded. It was some kind of mock session for her to practice questions and answers not long after she had started at Downing Street.