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?

2 words
Dominic Cummings.
Death by a 1000 cuts.

@SickAndTiredAgain

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.

No one surreptitiously filmed it. Stratton said it was being recorded, and there were a few camera angles so I’m assuming they just had cameras set up in there. It wasn’t shaky mobile phone footage taken by someone who didn’t want it noticed.
You’re right about it being kept for a year and then released, but it’s not a secret recording, she says “this is being recorded” in a way that sounds like what she means is “so careful what you say”.

The surreptitious video is the one of Jacob Reese Mogg. Not Allegra. There were two videos revealed last night

Why has the Allegra Stratton video been withheld for a year? If it was genuinely meant to expose hypocrisy it would have been released at the time. So therefore it must have a manipulative intention.

That assumes whoever leaked it had it the whole time. I’m sure the timing of releasing it was chosen specifically, but that might been by someone who got hold of it in august and thought “this will have more impact at Christmas because a) people will be reminded of last Christmas, and b) we’ll probably be at a point of bringing in more restrictions” rather than someone who got it at the time and kept it a whole year. I have no idea where/how footage like this might be kept, would it be routinely deleted but this was kept separately. Or is there a whole set of footage from practice briefings just kept somewhere because no one bothers to do anything with it.

So is it a disenchanted Tory or is it more anti-establishment? Important that the media should be asking the questions

That’s true, but I can understand why the media won’t. They’ve been given this info and the leaked video, they won’t get much more if they start digging in to who’s doing it. And they’re probably hoping someone will come forward with a picture.

The surreptitious video is the one of Jacob Reese Mogg. Not Allegra. There were two videos revealed last night

That footage wasn’t from a year ago though. That was from a few days ago. So surreptitiously filmed but not sat on for ages.

We should definitely be furious, and I am

It's still worth asking why someone wants us to be feeling this fury now, though. You don't want to be manipulated by anyone, anyone at all

Of course but why does there have to be a conspiracy?

I suspect everyone at the party and mock up were threatened with the Official Secrets Act etc etc and kept quiet, someone has moved jobs and decided to chance it & make it public..

Govt has plans to make "onward publishing" a OSA violation, so this sort of whistle blowing would be made illegal.

Plan B was always going to be very mild, masks, some WFH and perhaps table service, thats it.

Thanks @sickandtiredagain. I feel so naive about what goes on behind the media headlines and politics. And to think all we need to do is control a pandemic while shadowy figures are playing games.

@Floundery

I suspect a bit of Cummings hand in this.

That was my first thought, but the word 'hypocrite' springs to mind.

There’s irony in the idea that Cummings trying to harm the government was successful when it was him they were backing last year.

@Octavia174

We should definitely be furious, and I am

It's still worth asking why someone wants us to be feeling this fury now, though. You don't want to be manipulated by anyone, anyone at all

Of course but why does there have to be a conspiracy?

I suspect everyone at the party and mock up were threatened with the Official Secrets Act etc etc and kept quiet, someone has moved jobs and decided to chance it & make it public..

Govt has plans to make "onward publishing" a OSA violation, so this sort of whistle blowing would be made illegal.

Plan B was always going to be very mild, masks, some WFH and perhaps table service, thats it.

I’m not sure the Official Secrets Act would be required or even apply. Surely the reason no-one at the party broke rank is because….. they were at the party. If you’d done something that was potentially an offence why would you report it yourself?

@A580Hojas I agree - these backstage manouvers are far more fascinating than the story!

Let's all wait for the documentary about the story behind the story. I notice Rishi Sunak's not been wheeled out to defend Boris. He's keeping his nose clean for a PM bid. Plus I think the media were at that party too - which is why they kept it under wraps.

Ooh, I love a bit of Tory back-stabbing! I'll pull up a chair... cheers!

@SickAndTiredAgain

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.

No one surreptitiously filmed it. Stratton said it was being recorded, and there were a few camera angles so I’m assuming they just had cameras set up in there. It wasn’t shaky mobile phone footage taken by someone who didn’t want it noticed.
You’re right about it being kept for a year and then released, but it’s not a secret recording, she says “this is being recorded” in a way that sounds like what she means is “so careful what you say”.

They were trialling the briefing room and checking all the tech worked, as well as rehearsing Stratton in answering difficult questions, clearly. There is a certain irony in that. It would be funny if it hadn’t completely undermined any efforts that the government might make to enforce greater restrictions for public health reasons. Because of these clowns, more people than necessary will die. Cocks.

@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?

But that is really interesting isn't it? Let's face it, not all of us expected another lockdown. This coming out now, rather than last year suggests that these lockdowns are pre-planned. You could easily predict a new variant as that's how Corona viruses tend to behave. There will always be less severe strain circulating due to mutations in early winter. It won't disappear completely. (Takes off tin hat)

I reckon this came from Johnson. He's sick of the job and wants out.

www.change.org/p/iopc-policeconduct-investigate-the-metropolitan-police-for-allowing-the-2020-downing-street-party

Allegra Stratton has resigned but not explained anything.

This stinks of Dominic Cummings.

If it is just footage of Allegra trialling the briefing room and not a party ( which seems to be the case) why all this media fuss?
Why not just say “it’s footage of Allegra trialing the briefing room in preparation for January” . It’s such a non story that the media seem desperate to make into a story. Leading with it every news bulletin and all it does is undermine the government messages and so why do this?
Personally I think it’s a handy story for multiple agendas for multiple groups of people not all of them usually aligned but happy to work together on this occasion

[quote Leafyhouse]@A580Hojas I agree - these backstage manouvers are far more fascinating than the story!

Let's all wait for the documentary about the story behind the story. I notice Rishi Sunak's not been wheeled out to defend Boris. He's keeping his nose clean for a PM bid. Plus I think the media were at that party too - which is why they kept it under wraps.

Ooh, I love a bit of Tory back-stabbing! I'll pull up a chair... cheers! [/quote]
It's all certainly very odd and far more to it than meets the eye.

The timing, just why now?
Who actually leaked it?
Which prominent political journalists were present and have kept it under wraps?
Were there actual email invites?

Why is BJ still insisting it wasn't a party and no rules were broken??
Then claiming an investigation for something he claims didn't happen?
Is the person investigating someone who was actually there?

One thing for sure is that what with this week's revelations on Kabul and this on top, this Government really is in deep S**t.

So it was the Daily Mirror that broke the story of the party, according to BBCRosAtkins. The Daily Mirror doesn't usually cooperate with Tory government manipulation.
Now the hacks are saying it's not clear if the CabSec who has been tasked to investigate the party was at the party himself. Hacks too apparently invited to the party. BoJo popped in.
How many people were invited to or knew about the party? It seems to have been many, not just 5 or 6. How on earth did this not leak until now? Just so suspicious that this is manipulation.

Govt has plans to make "onward publishing" a OSA violation, so this sort of whistle blowing would be made illegal.

Yeah I bet they do.

What is the actual evidence for the party? Is it just unsubstantiated rumours and the mock press briefing? If so it seems odd that it is being treated as absolute fact in the media. Is there a named source?

@HangingDitch Thats a very good point - leave it a while and hope it goes away as vaccines do their work, then Omicron comes out, talk of further restrictions and someone's conscience get stirred?

This is what the journalist who broke the story is saying.

As for Cummings? he would have released this long ago if he had the script.

I 'm just waiting to see the video from the party, its bound to be out there.

@sashagabadon

If it is just footage of Allegra trialling the briefing room and not a party ( which seems to be the case) why all this media fuss? Why not just say “it’s footage of Allegra trialing the briefing room in preparation for January” . It’s such a non story that the media seem desperate to make into a story. Leading with it every news bulletin and all it does is undermine the government messages and so why do this? Personally I think it’s a handy story for multiple agendas for multiple groups of people not all of them usually aligned but happy to work together on this occasion

No one is denying its footage of her practicing answering questions in the new room. It’s the nature of the questions. They totally coincidentally joke about getting questions from reporters about fictional party that took place four days before, but that hadn’t actually been reported on yet? And we’re still supposed to believe there was no party? Even Boris has stopped totally denying that now, he said he was “angry” at the footage, and was asking the cabinet secretary to investigate what happened so they could be sure.

I agree @friendlycat. And remember Beth Rigby and Kay Burley got caught out at an illegal after party on 5 December. So political hacks having parties while the public was restricted. Seems the politicians and hacks are all in it together.

Storm in a teacup. But once is out there in the media are all sort of speculations.