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?

[fournonblondes]

@StoneofDestiny

There are at least 3 parties being investigated.

The police would know exactly what happened yet are not 'investigating'. Odd that - given police and security would be at the door of every government building. Police and Protection Officers oddly silent about Andrew's comings and goings in relation to the Maxwell Trial.

The police need to be seen as impartial and to apply the law to all equally. Scary that they did nothing at the time when others where being fined for 'illegal gatherings'.

May be because there was nothing to do or report?

[the80sweregreat]

The police were probably invited to these dos! 😂
Nothing surprises me anymore :(

[DateLoaf]

Does it bother you that our PM and members of the govt can look straight to camera and lie to us? I don't care much about what they are lying about but I do care that they can lie so easily. What else are they lying about? If they are found out in lies we can't trust them and if we can't trust them then they need to go.

What ancientgran says is right. People were absolutely not having parties outside of this Westminster bubble - it was on the news how the police were raiding and breaking up parties and new laws brought in so people found partying in groups were fined huge amounts of money.

That aside though. It’s the barefaced LYING TO US that’s so outrageous.
It’s a complete corruption of politics to lie right to our faces and it’s really dangerous if lying in political office becomes acceptable in the UK. Things can go downhill from there very fast.

[DateLoaf]

Just cancelled all plans for seeing friends and family next weekend because of covid risk and not wanting to make elderly relatives ill or fear getting ill this Christmas when we go to them for the day. I still feel pissed off that last year when things were so bad and we were all so frightened and lonely and isolated from each other, the PM was doing office Xmas parties and his staff going along with that lead. He’s created a culture where such rules and considerations were just things for the little people to have to be struggling with. Can you imagine Theresa May or Kier Starmer doing any of that, ever? No.

And how lucky we were- people we know had horrific multiple family bereavements to covid and couldn’t be with their dying parents or say goodbyes or mourn properly. No wonder Boris’ right hand guy Dominic Cummings thought it was absolutely fine to go for a drive out ‘to check his eyesight’.

The escalation of restrictions we’re seeing now is necessary but it has distracted the country from Johnson’s (putting it politely) terrible lack of leadership. I’m worried that we’re going to be stuck with him for much longer than we should be because we’ll all be distracted by Covid over Christmas and the inevitable huge wave of hospitalisations in January. I just want a responsible, honest, thoughtful and honourable grown up to lead our country at this unbelievably challenging time.