{"id":426825,"date":"2021-12-10T01:25:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T01:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1526386"},"modified":"2021-12-10T01:25:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T01:25:31","slug":"boris-johnsons-covid-busting-party-probe-branded-a-sham-as-new-claims-emerge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/12\/10\/boris-johnsons-covid-busting-party-probe-branded-a-sham-as-new-claims-emerge\/","title":{"rendered":"Boris Johnson\u2019s Covid-busting party probe branded a \u2018sham\u2019 as new claims emerge"},"content":{"rendered":"            <div id=\"speechkit-player\"><\/div>\n        <p>Fresh claims have emerged over an alleged Christmas bash in No 10 as the prime minister remained under intense pressure. The focus on Boris Johnson&#8217;s numerous scandals comes as the government rubber stamped what <em>The Canary <\/em>described as the &#8220;racist immigration bill&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"Gw9LB4DCdpE3Ag821\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The government&#39;s flagship immigration bill has been approved after a heated debate.<\/p>\n<p>The bill includes measures which allow UK border force officials to turn back migrants at sea. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/paraicobrien?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@paraicobrien<\/a> reports.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/u9gnZ6CZTp\">https:\/\/t.co\/u9gnZ6CZTp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Channel4News\/status\/1468693869789208578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h5>&#8220;Get a grip&#8221;<\/h5>\n<p>A senior Tory MP urged Boris Johnson to \u201cget a grip\u201d on matters following reports that Downing Street\u2019s director of communications made a speech and handed out awards at the event said to have taken place on 18 December 2020. <em>ITV News<\/em> reported on 9 December that Jack Doyle, who was then deputy director of communications at No 10, addressed up to 50 people at a Christmas gathering said to have been held on that date.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s understood that Doyle spoke to the press office to thank them for their work, as he did every week, and presented some awards to mark the team\u2019s efforts. Downing Street refused to comment further than to say a fact-finding review was ongoing. Doyle has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"gXTEhAiINMVrcCsWpPlfUNMazdJcf77rOF0SjFLwGB66S9kP4YO4aQR38vRE0yQUvTsXZiK1Konxhtu2eH8D253BJ9HGVxqky\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The S*n tried to ignore the Downing Street Christmas party. It wasn&#39;t on their front-page when it led for other papers. <\/p>\n<p>James Slack, then-Boris Johnson&#39;s spokesperson, was reportedly at the party. What&#39;s he doing now?<\/p>\n<p>He&#39;s the S*n&#39;s deputy editor.<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f914.png\" alt=\"\ud83e\udd14\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zarahsultana\/status\/1469056559925846016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 9, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>As the new allegations surfaced, a probe into reported Covid-rule busting gatherings in government was branded a \u201csham\u201d by Labour, while the party\u2019s leader Keir Starmer suggested the PM was not up to the job.<\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START Twitter --><\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED END Twitter --><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Johnson faces the prospect of a growing rebellion over new coronavirus (Covid-19) rules to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, as reports suggest more than 30 MPs may vote against the government next week. The prime minister has been fielding criticism from across the political spectrum in light of allegations that rules were flaunted at the heart of government last year.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson announced on 8 December that an internal investigation led by Cabinet secretary Simon Case would look into reports of a staff gathering held in Downing Street just days before Christmas, when London was under Tier 3 restrictions. The probe was subsequently widened to include another festive celebration and a reported staff leaving do.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"l6HGNGVgI4u8Lgzt9RvYpnUAjOavax7ZbdzADk5fXZUbNS0PKn4HrwlS122Wchq7hyQWCBEXqFwIJDrkKMTxQp8eYdBi13Fs9\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Brilliant &#8211; No 10 declines to say whether Simon Case, the Cabinet Sec who had been tasked by Boris Johnson to investigate the claims about the Downing Street Xmas party &#8211; was actually at the party.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shehab Khan (@ShehabKhan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShehabKhan\/status\/1468575693235707904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- EMBED START Image --><\/p>\n<figure id=\"embedded259423470\"><img src=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/85e3912c22060b4d108f013a3bcfb2d1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTgyNjQw\/2.59423470.jpg?w=640\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/85e3912c22060b4d108f013a3bcfb2d1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTgyNjQw\/2.59423470.jpg?w=320 320w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/85e3912c22060b4d108f013a3bcfb2d1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTgyNjQw\/2.59423470.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/85e3912c22060b4d108f013a3bcfb2d1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTgyNjQw\/2.59423470.jpg?w=1280 1280w\" alt=\"PACAC hearing\" data-title=\"PACAC hearing\" data-copyright-holder=\"PA Archive\" data-copyright-notice=\"PA Archive\/PA Images\" data-credit=\"Aaron Chown\" data-usage-terms=\"\" \/><figcaption>Simon Case, the Cabinet secretary, is leading an investigation into alleged Covid rule-busting gatherings in Government last year (Aaron Chown\/PA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END Image --><\/p>\n<p>Separately, Johnson is facing questions over whether he misled an investigation into donations for refurbishments to his Downing Street flat after the Electoral Commission fined the Tories \u00a317,800. Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner accused Johnsonof having \u201clied\u201d to his standards adviser lord Geidt by saying he did not know who was behind the payment, but No 10 insisted Johnson had been honest and followed the rules \u201cat all times\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"8me0QRFbTaY6LI5ryyQiVfEIdl3NDpPHKePbm6cuDoN8qMrpFSXYLzhBdTzk3K4jvWMGVl5J0k9jXUO7W2xZAZoH\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">How does No 10 square this:<\/p>\n<p>In May the PM told Lord Geidt that he did not know who was behind No11 flat refurb until Feb 2021<\/p>\n<p>Today the Electoral Commission says Boris Johnson Whatsapped Lord Brownlow in November 2020 asking for more cash for the No11 refurb <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RoxHbmGi1I\">pic.twitter.com\/RoxHbmGi1I<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SamCoatesSky\/status\/1468892847835340806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 9, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Johnson&#8217;s former adviser Dominic Cummings claimed that Johnson knew his alleged actions would be illegal:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"6KE9kTa4uAqpGL1m3YUyPWixvonQOfJcXHR2ZDsjS5wMt7IdNVlrF80hgebz\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The <img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f6d2.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\uded2\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> was told in extremely blunt  &amp; unrepeatable terms by me in Jan and summer 2020 that his desire for secret donations to fund wallpaper etc was illegal &amp; unethical. He pursued it throughout the year trying to keep me\/others in dark &amp; lied to Geidt\/CCHQ to cover it up <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hyOuQTdvOz\">https:\/\/t.co\/hyOuQTdvOz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Dominic2306\/status\/1468905395607547904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 9, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h5>&#8220;The truth must come out&#8221;<\/h5>\n<p>Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who is treasurer of the 1922 Committee, said on 9 December that \u201cthe truth must come out\u201d about the various allegations levelled at Downing Street. He told <em>BBC\u2019s Newsnight<\/em>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>What we need from all of this is a really straightforward version from the Prime Minister on all of these serious issues \u2013 whether it\u2019s by investigation of the most senior (civil) servant Simon Case on the Downing Street parties, whether it\u2019s by investigation by Lord Geidt on the donations to the Downing Street flat \u2013 all of these things need to be investigated and the truth must come out.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><!-- EMBED START Image --><\/p>\n<figure id=\"embedded256589443\"><img src=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/6938cc9b8ab1f2e4ecd3c1ff8934cc97Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTY4OTQy\/2.56589443.jpg?w=640\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/6938cc9b8ab1f2e4ecd3c1ff8934cc97Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTY4OTQy\/2.56589443.jpg?w=320 320w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/6938cc9b8ab1f2e4ecd3c1ff8934cc97Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTY4OTQy\/2.56589443.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/image.assets.pressassociation.io\/v2\/image\/production\/6938cc9b8ab1f2e4ecd3c1ff8934cc97Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjM5MTY4OTQy\/2.56589443.jpg?w=1280 1280w\" alt=\"Lee Cain resigns\" data-title=\"Lee Cain resigns\" data-copyright-holder=\"PA Archive\" data-copyright-notice=\"PA Archive\/PA Images\" data-credit=\"Stefan Rousseau\" data-usage-terms=\"\" \/><figcaption>Jack Doyle in Downing Street (Stefan Rousseau\/PA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- EMBED END Image --><\/p>\n<p>He added:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The whole parties issue could have been investigated in a day or two, a week or so ago, and the correct version given \u2013 whoever it was who organised whatever it is that we don\u2019t know or do know that happened.<\/p>\n<p>The truth should have been given and then the appropriate action against those who organised these parties \u2013 if that\u2019s what they were, or gatherings\u2026 the appropriate disciplinary action should have been taken.<\/p>\n<p>And I think now as other commentators have said, the Prime Minister needs to get a grip on all of these matters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Following the latest claims, Rayner said:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>As more details emerge about the Downing Street Christmas party, the Government\u2019s internal investigation has been exposed as the sham it is. The investigation has only just published its terms of reference and we are already seeing more details from the media than the Cabinet Office about the parties.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Alongside the alleged 18 December party, Case will include in his review a confirmed gathering at the Department for Education\u2019s (DfE) Whitehall headquarters on 10 December last year, and a reported leaving event for a No 10 aide \u2013 allegedly attended by Boris Johnson \u2013 on November 27. The terms of reference for the investigation said \u201cwhere there are credible allegations relating to other gatherings, these may be investigated\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The two December dates coincide with when mixing between households in London was restricted, with England in a month-long lockdown during November.<\/p>\n<p>Case\u2019s inquiry was ordered by Johnson after a leaked video emerged showing Downing Street aides laughing about a \u201cfictional\u201d party at No 10 in December 2020.<\/p>\n<h5>Government rolls on<\/h5>\n<p>As reported by <em>The Canary,<\/em> while Johnson has inflicted numerous scandals upon himself, his government has carried on functioning largely as normal. Sophia Purdy-Moore reported on 9 December that:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Priti Patel\u2019s controversial nationality and borders bill\u00a0passed\u00a0its third reading in the House of Commons on 8 December. International and human rights lawyers have called the legality of the draconian legislation into question.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>She added:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The\u00a0bill\u00a0will allow the home secretary to remove a person\u2019s citizenship without warning.\u00a0Analysis\u00a0by the\u00a0<em>New Statesman<\/em>\u00a0found that under the new legislation, two in five racially minoritised Britons could become eligible to be deprived of their citizen status without warning. This is compared to just one in 20 people from a white background.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"bjWVxtyLyZD7m4XDJ8Qdw41pgUQqNRIlr6cBMlkOjHC0T21imWeKaPqLr3NosfCAVzYTzd6\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Tories have just forced through <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NationalityandBordersBill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NationalityandBordersBill<\/a> \u2014 with loud cheers from their MPs.<\/p>\n<p>The suffering this Bill will cause to the most vulnerable people is immeasurable.<\/p>\n<p>They are despicable.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Apsana Begum MP (@ApsanaBegumMP) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ApsanaBegumMP\/status\/1468618416202428418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 8, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Also on 9 December, Purdy-Moore <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/uk\/analysis\/2021\/12\/09\/the-government-isnt-doing-enough-to-protect-exploited-minimum-wage-workers\/\">reported<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The Department for Business, Energy &amp; Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published a\u00a0list\u00a0of over 200 businesses that have failed to pay their employees the national minimum wage. Low Pay Commission chair Bryan Sanderson stated that the aim of the list is to \u201chelp protect low-paid workers from unfair treatment\u201d. But the government needs to do more to protect the rights of vulnerable minimum wage workers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>On 8 December, Steve Topple reported for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2021\/12\/08\/tories-laugh-during-parliamentary-debate-about-disabled-people\/\"><em>The Canary<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Tory MPs have been recorded groaning and laughing in parliament when a Labour MP was talking about disabled people<strong>.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span class=\"QvyYnJeU6h0G4F2tjH3uC9C8gMKRpLdmqXETIsJKUAeWS8faPquxt7AorcSPMiXBmHOzRVgDzQGNVls4p52nZf\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today I raised the issue of two million disabled people being excluded from the \u00a320 a week pandemic benefit uplift and I called on the government to backdate these payments.<\/p>\n<p>Tory MPs groaned and the Chancellor refused to answer a question so important to so many disabled people. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fzi4gDUJCH\">pic.twitter.com\/fzi4gDUJCH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RichardBurgon\/status\/1468218592626110465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 7, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/thecanary\/\">The Canary<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/uk\/news\/2021\/12\/10\/boris-johnsons-covid-busting-party-probe-branded-a-sham-as-new-claims-emerge\/\">The Canary<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fresh claims have emerged over an alleged Christmas bash in No 10 as the prime minister remained under intense pressure. The focus on Boris \u2026 <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/uk\/news\/2021\/12\/10\/boris-johnsons-covid-busting-party-probe-branded-a-sham-as-new-claims-emerge\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/thecanary\/\">The Canary<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1541,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[189,5625,338,11846,4,4042,1395],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426825"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1541"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=426825"}],"version-history":[{"count":141,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":440557,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/426825\/revisions\/440557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=426825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=426825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=426825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}