Picture emerges of Boris Johnson at Downing Street Christmas party
A new picture has emerged of Boris Johnson at a Christmas party in Downing Street, beside an open bottle of champagne and a half-eaten packet of crisps.
The picture was published by The Mirror as the Prime Minister was answering questions in the Commons.
The image shows the Tory leader beside members of staff, including one wearing a tinsel boa and another with a Santa hat.
The event took place on December 15, 2020, when London was under England’s Tier 2 regulations banning any social mixing between two or more people from different households.
Official guidance specifically stated: “You must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”
The quiz is not one of the 12 parties currently being investigated by police. The Met had previously said the event was "not considered to have reached the threshold for criminal investigation."
Barrister Adam Wagner told the paper: "The previous photograph of the Prime Minister showed what could have been a meeting briefly interrupted by a Zoom call.
"However, the new photograph shows four people with alcohol and food, as well as a Christmas hat and tinsel, which suggests a Christmas party.
"This was held at a time when indoor social gatherings of two or more people were banned and the Government had told people they "must" not have a Christmas party."
The lawyer added: "In light of the new evidence it now makes no sense for this gathering not to be investigated by the police given that an almost identical gathering in the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case's office two day's later is being investigated."
Labour MP Fabian Hamilton raised the picture during PMQs, and contrasted it with the fate of one of his constituents who was unable to have family visit while receiving cancer treatment.
He said: “In the last few minutes a photo has emerged of the Prime Minister in Downing Street on December 15, 2020 surrounded by alcohol, food and people wearing tinsel.
“It looks a lot like one of the Christmas parties he told us never happened.”
He added: “Will the Prime Minister be referring this party to the police as it is not one of the ones currently being investigated?”
Johnson said: “In what he has just said, I’m afraid he is completely in error.”
Ominously for the Prime Minister, his former top aide, Dominic Cummings tweeted to say there were "waaaaay better pics than that floating around, incl in the flat".
Details of the virtual Christmas pub quiz were first revealed last month. It was reported that groups of staff took part, huddled around their office computers.
Team names included “No Team Name is Better than a Bad Team Name”, “Beaver Fever”, “Better Together”, "Professor Quiz Whitty", "Next Slide Please", "We've Been Clear”, “The 6 Masketeers” and "Hands, Face, First Place".
Holyrood Newsletters
Holyrood provides comprehensive coverage of Scottish politics, offering award-winning reporting and analysis: Subscribe