Boris Johnson news live: Latest updates as Tory rebellion grows over Christmas party claims

The Conservative Party has admitted that a party took place at its Westminster headquarters during coronavirus restrictions last December.

Tory staff danced and drank wine late into the night at a “raucous” party held in the basement of the office, The Times reported.

During the event on 14 December, London was under Tier 2 Covid restrictions – which meant that indoor socialising between households was banned. Matt Hancock had given a press conference just hours earlier saying the capital would soon move into Tier 3.

Our reporter Lamiat Sabian has the full story:

If Covid rules were followed in Downing Street last December, then no party would have been able to take place, according to the health secretary.

Told on LBC radio that he had previously said there had been no Christmas party in No 10, Sajid Javid said: “And I would still tell you that I have received assurances that there were no rules that were broken, in terms of Covid rules, at any time in Downing Street.

“That means a party could not take place.

“If the rules were not broken, then a party could not take place.

“But having this investigation, having the cabinet secretary look into this, is the right response because this is the individual who can talk to anyone, can get the data, the evidence together and establish the facts.”

Metropolitan Police have said they will not investigate allegations that Covid restrictions were broken at a party at 10 Downing Street on 18 December 2020.

In a statement, Scotland Yard said the decision was taken on the basis of the “absence of evidence” that rules were broken and in line with Met policy not to investigate historical allegations of breaches of Covid regulations.

But the police said that cabinet secretary Simon Case will pass on any further evidence which emerges as a result of the internal inquiry which Boris Johnson today ordered him to conduct into the allegations.

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full report below:

The government is facing fresh allegations that ministers, aides and officials attended seven Christmas gatherings while the country was in lockdown, Politico reports.

Conservative former chief whip Mark Harper added: “What I am really concerned about is that it is unquestionably the case that over the last few weeks the government’s credibility, whether it is on Paterson or on the Christmas parties, has taken a hit.

“Why should people at home listening to the Prime Minister and the secretary of state do things that people working in Number 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?”

Tory MP Ben Bradley ruled out voting for Plan B which includes “discriminatory” vaccine passports, and former minister David Davis questioned “how are you going to prosecute people who don’t obey it given the four previous parties?”

“I think the real issue is on the authority of the government to enforce a, as it were, a new lockdown because people look at this and say why should we? It’s them and us again,” Mr David told ITV’s Peston.

Health secretary Sajid Javid said he withdrew from media broadcast interviews on Wednesday because he was “upset” by the leaked video showing No 10 senior aides joking about an alleged lockdown-busting Christmas party.

Asked why no government minister appeared on Wednesday morning, the cabinet minister replied: “I didn’t appear because I saw that video – it upset me, it upset a lot of people I think across the country, it upset the Prime Minister.”

Asked whether he “refused” to go onto the airwaves following the emergence of the footage, Mr Javid added: “No, it wasn’t about refusing – I spoke to my colleagues in No 10 and we actually agreed it is best to take some time to respond to the video in the way that the Prime Minister has now, by ordering an investigation by the Cabinet Secretary.”

Boris Johnson continues to face pressure from within his own party over his bungled handling of allegations of a lockdown-breaching party at 10 Downing Street, as the crisis gripping his government forced the resignation of a top aide.

In a bid to draw a line under the debacle, the prime minister ordered an inquiry by his most senior civil servant into the events of 18 December, when up to 50 aides are reported to have enjoyed alcohol, food and a secret Santa at a time when London was under strict Tier 3 controls barring most indoor gatherings.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has more details below:

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s UK politics blog. Follow the latest updates from Westminster as they happen.