Boris Johnson has been hit with fresh allegations over Covid breaches last year
(Reuters)
Boris Johnson has been hit with fresh allegations over Covid breaches last year, including that he took part in a Downing Street Christmas quiz and flouted rules at a restaurant weeks before.
Images have emerged in the Sunday Mirror of the prime minister during the alleged quiz, sitting next to members of staff wearing tinsel and a santa hat.
The newspaper reported this took place days before a No 10 gathering currently under investigation by Cabinet secretary Simon Case.
Also on Sunday, the Daily Mail has carried allegations the PM has blasted the BBC for its coverage of the Downing Street Christmas party row, accusing the broadcaster of being “vengeful” and failing to focus on its “primary duty” of promoting booster jabs.
Meanwhile, Labour has surged to its highest polling lead over the Conservatives in seven years.
Lib Dems believe they are ‘neck and neck’ with Tories in by-election
Over in North Shropshire where a by-election is looming, the Liberal Democrats believe they are “neck and neck” with the Tories.
One Lib Dem source said the Downing Street party scandal had been like “manna from heaven” for the party’s campaigners.
Jon Stone, our policy correspondent, reports:
Zoe Tidman12 December 2021 08:05
PM facing Tory revolt over Covid restrictions – report
There are also reports Boris Johnson is facing a revolt within his own cabinet against the possible further tightening of Covid-19 restrictions amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
Zoe Tidman12 December 2021 07:57
‘PM briefly took part virtually in a quiz’ – No10
Here is No10’s response, according to Pippa Crerar from the Mirror:
Zoe Tidman12 December 2021 07:51
Downing Street Christmas quiz
In one of the main stories from this morning, Boris Johnson has been pictured hosting a Christmas quiz in Downing Steet last December in “a clear breach” of his own government’s Covid rules.
An image obtained by the Sunday Mirror shows the prime minister sitting with two colleagues underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher as he reportedly read out questions to staff over video.
Emily Atkinson has the full story:
Zoe Tidman12 December 2021 07:39
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics, as Sunday newspapers carry fresh allegations against the PM
Zoe Tidman12 December 2021 07:37
