Boris Johnson has not denied allegations that Christmas parties were held in Downing Street during lockdown last year.
The prime minister faced a grilling after the Mirror reported claims that he and aides attended gatherings in No10, despite imposing new restrictions on the country at the time.
During prime minister’s questions, Keir Starmer asked whether a “boozy party” was held at No10 in run-up to Christmas 2020.
Johnson did not deny it, simply saying that “all guidance was followed completely at No10”.
The report accused the prime minister of attending a leaving do for an aide on November 27 last year while the second lockdown was in force.
His staff are then alleged to have held their own festive party in Downing Street on December 18, which Johnson did not attend.
Starmer asked: “As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of people on December 18?”
Johnson replied: “All guidance was followed completely.”
Starmer pressed him again: “The defence seems to be ‘no rules were broken’. Well, I’ve got the rules that were in place at the time, prime minister, of this party, they are very clear: you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party.
“Does the prime minister really expect the country to believe that whilst people were banned from seeing their loved ones at Christmas this year it was fine for him and his friends to thrown a boozy party in Downing Street?”
The PM replied: “I have said what I said about Number 10 and the events of 12 months ago.”
The Labour leader added: “The prime minister does not deny there was a Downing Street Christmas party last year. He says no rules were broken.
“Both of those things can’t be true, Prime Minister. He is taking the British public for fools”.
