No 10 rule breaking gatherings during 2020.

[Watershed]

What was the exact wording of the rules?

It depends on when exactly the party is supposed to have taken place, but if you take the Regulations as they applied on 20 December, for example, the relevant Tier 4 restrictions (which applied in London at the time) were:

Paragraphs 1(1) and (2) of part 1 of Schedule 3A:

(1) No person who lives in the Tier 4 area may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.
(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) the circumstances in which a person has a reasonable excuse include where one of the exceptions set out in paragraph 2 applies;​

Paragraphs 2(1) and (5)(a):

(1) These are the exceptions referred to in paragraph 1.
(5) Exception 2 is that it is reasonably necessary for P to leave or be outside P’s home—

(a) for the purposes of work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not reasonably possible for P to work, or to provide those services, from home;​

And also the gathering restrictions, which similarly stated, in paragraph 3(1) and (3) of part 2:

(1) No person may participate in a gathering in the Tier 4 area which—

(a) consists of two or more people, and​

(b) takes place in a private dwelling or in any indoor space.​

(3) Sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply if any of the exceptions set out in paragraphs 6 or 7 apply.

Paragraphs 6(1) and 6(5):

(1) These are the exceptions referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5(5)(c).
(4) Exception 3 is that the gathering is reasonably necessary—

(a) for work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services;​

So in essence, the key test is whether the gathering (or leaving or remaining away from home) was reasonably necessary for work purposes and whether it was reasonably possible for the people involved to work from home.

A gathering which purely served a social purpose would be unlikely to fall into those categories, and could reasonably have been done remotely in any case.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The legality of the act/s themselves, and the willingness of the Metropolitan Police to only look for evidence in advance of a crime being committed has ceased to be the key issue.

Allover the twitterverse there are threads shouting people down with comments like: 'it's only a party', 'it's what lots of people did', 'it's a year ago', 'they all worked so hard in the National Crisis' and so on.

The issue now is that Boris has consistently been less than entirely open and honest with his explanations, those explanations have been successfully shot down, yet still he / they just don't get it. As with Dominic Cummings, as with Mutt Hancock, they think they can wriggle around for a while and it will all blowover in a couple of days - then it's back to normal (until the next crisis). As a person living a life of privilege, and being a lifelong breaker of the rules when it suits, he just simply doesn't get it that people are seriously angry.

 

[Typhoon]

Think this is worth sharing (video)

https://twitter.com/spoofed_uk/status/1468517952953761793

The Rees-Mogg one (assuming it is genuine, which it seems to be) is pretty damning!

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

All tomorrows paper have BoJos booster programme plastered across the front pages and pushed this issue aside.

Hopefully they will get back pushing this again in 24hrs but i fear this upping the ante will deter any action against him now.

 

[brad465]

Next up in the party revelations, three developments: first, the quiz team names have been disclosed, alongside an email days before quiz urging MPs to use the back door:

Bombshell message shows No10 staff were told to leave Xmas quiz ‘by back door’

Organisers had been planning for staff to attend the "virtual quiz" in person for days ahead of the event in December last year - and a senior official told attendees: "Go out the back"

www.mirror.co.uk

A Senior official urged staff to leave Number 10 through the back door on the night Boris Johnson hosted a Downing Street quiz last Christmas in apparent breach of lockdown rules.

And an email seen by the Mirror shows organisers had planned days in advance for some staff to enjoy the quiz in person, from the office.

The Mirror revealed on Sunday that the Prime Minister had helped host the quiz - and that some staff had spent the evening huddling and conferring around their office computers rather than dialling in from home.

Sources said staff had knocked back fizz, wine and beer - and some stayed in Number 10 socialising and drinking for hours after the quiz finished at 9.30pm.

London was then under Tier 2 regulations banning any social mixing between households.

Official guidance also 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.”

Number 10 has insisted the event, held on December 15 2020, was a “virtual quiz”, but admitted “those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.”

But a bombshell email sent to staff four days before the event and seen by the Mirror, proves organisers knew staff would be taking part from inside Number 10, and put plans in place for them.

Second, ITV report that apparently an alarm was set off leading to the Police/security coming in to investigate on the night of one of these alleged parties:

Did an alarm alert police to a Downing Street Christmas party? | ITV News

The revelation raises questions about how much security staff and police knew about the event at the time. | ITV National News

www.itv.com

An alarm was accidentally set off in Downing Street on the night of an alleged Christmas party last year, ITV News has been told.

Sources inside Number 10 have confirmed that the alert was triggered around the same time as staff are said to have gathered to drink wine, eat cheese and receive jokey awards on December 18, 2020.

The revelation raises questions about how much security staff and police knew about the event at the time.

ITV News understands that the alarm was set off in a separate room to the party, where staff were at their desks working late.

One Downing Street source said that it triggered an automatic response from a custodian - or doorkeeper - who came to check whether there had been any security breach.

ITV News has also been told that a Metropolitan Police officer that night entered the reception of No 10 to make their own checks.

Third, back to the Mirror, Mayoral Candidate Shaun Bailey, a Tory party donor, and a number of others have been photographed at a party in Tory party HQ in Westminster on the 14th December last year, while London was in Tier 2, at what very clearly looks like a party scene. Shaun Bailey has already resigned from his London Assembly’s police and crime committee role as a result:

Picture shows 'raucous' Christmas party thrown by Tory aides in lockdown breach

Our image shows 24 people crowded together in a room in the Tories' Westminster HQ for an event organised by Shaun Bailey’s mayoral campaign - Mr Bailey tonight quit as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee after being approached by the Mirror

www.mirror.co.uk

An extraordinary image has emerged of a “raucous” Christmas party thrown by Tory aides during coronavirus restrictions last Christmas.

It shows 24 people crowded together - in blatant breach of lockdown rules - in a medium-sized room in the party’s Westminster HQ.

Some of the group are shown wearing paper hats while one is sporting a House of Commons Christmas jumper.

The event, organised by top Tory Shaun Bailey ’s mayoral campaign, took place on December 14 last year when London was in Tier 2.

After he was approached by the Mirror tonight, Mr Bailey dramatically quit as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Next up in the party revelations, three developments: first, the quiz team names have been disclosed, alongside an email days before quiz urging MPs to use the back door:

Bombshell message shows No10 staff were told to leave Xmas quiz ‘by back door’

Organisers had been planning for staff to attend the "virtual quiz" in person for days ahead of the event in December last year - and a senior official told attendees: "Go out the back"

www.mirror.co.uk

Second, ITV report that apparently an alarm was set off leading to the Police/security coming in to investigate on the night of one of these alleged parties:

Did an alarm alert police to a Downing Street Christmas party? | ITV News

The revelation raises questions about how much security staff and police knew about the event at the time. | ITV National News

www.itv.com

Third, back to the Mirror, Mayoral Candidate Shaun Bailey, a Tory party donor, and a number of others have been photographed at a party in Tory party HQ in Westminster on the 14th December last year, while London was in Tier 2, at what very clearly looks like a party scene. Shaun Bailey has already resigned from his London Assembly’s police and crime committee role as a result:

Picture shows 'raucous' Christmas party thrown by Tory aides in lockdown breach

Our image shows 24 people crowded together in a room in the Tories' Westminster HQ for an event organised by Shaun Bailey’s mayoral campaign - Mr Bailey tonight quit as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee after being approached by the Mirror

www.mirror.co.uk

Disgraceful but no tory MPs there so they will say it was right for Bailey to resign nothing more to see here. The issue is did anyone from govt no about it and what are the met police going to do about it.

 

[brad465]

Disgraceful but no tory MPs there so they will say it was right for Bailey to resign nothing more to see here. The issue is did anyone from govt no about it and what are the met police going to do about it.

Maybe if it was in an unknown or secret venue (like one of their houses) it could be easily dismissed in accordance with his resignation, but this was in Tory Party HQ, which may lead to questions about the Tory party as a whole somehow allowing it and/or not doing enough to prevent it. I do expect, as I suspect you do as well, the Met Police will continue to try and avoid the matter.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

I do expect, as I suspect you do as well, the Met Police will continue to try and avoid the matter.

For sure

 

[MikeWM]

How - well, let's say 'interesting' - that this story has started again all of an hour or two after 'plan B' was passed.

Are they hoping to bounce Johnson into 'Plan C' by the weekend by any chance?

 

[bramling]

How - well, let's say 'interesting' - that this story has started again all of an hour or two after 'plan B' was passed.

Are they hoping to bounce Johnson into 'Plan C' by the weekend by any chance?

I think there’s three separate things going on at this point.

(1) The “scientists” with their political agenda, and a PM who is too weak / unintelligent to be able to challenge what comes to him

(2) The increasing realisation within the Conservative party that Johnson is a complete liability, and as much use as a chocolate teapot

(3) Winter NHS issues

How these will all interact over the next few weeks is anyone’s guess, especially if we factor in the influence of Sturgeon and Drakeford.

 

[brad465]

How - well, let's say 'interesting' - that this story has started again all of an hour or two after 'plan B' was passed.

Are they hoping to bounce Johnson into 'Plan C' by the weekend by any chance?

This could go either way: yes Johnson could try and distract from it with more restrictions, but at the same time this rule breaking at the time and seemingly getting away with it undermines compliance with whatever is brought in.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

How - well, let's say 'interesting' - that this story has started again all of an hour or two after 'plan B' was passed.

Are they hoping to bounce Johnson into 'Plan C' by the weekend by any chance?

I think there’s three separate things going on at this point.

(1) The “scientists” with their political agenda, and a PM who is too weak / unintelligent to be able to challenge what comes to him

(2) The increasing realisation within the Conservative party that Johnson is a complete liability, and as much use as a chocolate teapot

(3) Winter NHS issues

How these will all interact over the next few weeks is anyone’s guess, especially if we factor in the influence of Sturgeon and Drakeford.

This could go either way: yes Johnson could try and distract from it with more restrictions, but at the same time this rule breaking at the time and seemingly getting away with it undermines compliance with whatever is brought in.

I think the North Shropshire byelection result will be a key point.

Some people may be following the science, data not dates etc, others live their life entirely reacting to opinion polls.

Unless there is something spectacular lurking in The Mirror's skeleton closet, the parties thing is done and dusted. Unless Christmas is cancelled this year, still time yet.

16 December 2020: Boris Johnson says Christmas is safe, restrictions to be relaxed between 23 and 27 December.
19 December 2020: Boris Johnson announces Christmas is cancelled – visits restricted to one day only and not at all in (new) tier 4 area (London & South-East).

 

[Howardh]

PMQ's - Johnson; not a word of contrition regarding the Downing Street parties, not a word of thanks to Starmer for getting him out of a Tory covid-rebellion mess. You might have thought that, with lockdowns looming again, for once he might have looked human and seem on our side.

If he had any support at all, surely that's gone now?

 

[adc82140]

16 December 2020: Boris Johnson says Christmas is safe, restrictions to be relaxed between 23 and 27 December.
19 December 2020: Boris Johnson announces Christmas is cancelled – visits restricted to one day only and not at all in (new) tier 4 area (London & South-East).

In December 2020 there was a genuine increase in hospitalisations. This year it's theoretical, and hospitalisations are pretty flat. That doesn't stop Sky News saying that the NHS is on the brink of being overwhelmed. These are standard winter pressures.

I'd like to turn their statement around. Are they saying that the apostles of the church of the NHS are not very good at their jobs? They call them "heroes" but are now deeming them incompetent. Can't be both.

 

[bramling]

PMQ's - Johnson; not a word of contrition regarding the Downing Street parties, not a word of thanks to Starmer for getting him out of a Tory covid-rebellion mess. You might have thought that, with lockdowns looming again, for once he might have looked human and seem on our side.

If he had any support at all, surely that's gone now?

He’s finished. It’s simply a case of when it happens now. Doesn’t resolve the issue of who replaces him though, but that’s now a secondary issue.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

In December 2020 there was a genuine increase in hospitalisations. This year it's theoretical, and hospitalisations are pretty flat. That doesn't stop Sky News saying that the NHS is on the brink of being overwhelmed. These are standard winter pressures.

I'd like to turn their statement around. Are they saying that the apostles of the church of the NHS are not very good at their jobs? They call them "heroes" but are now deeming them incompetent. Can't be both.

There are standard winter pressures, there are additional COVID pressures and there are backlog pressures built up since the NHS 'closed it's doors' in March 2020.

What I would like to see the media pursuing is the decline in NHS capacity over the past x decades. When did you see a new hospital built which didn't result in an overall reduction in the number of beds in an area? PFI deals ensured that - as it was the only way the numbers worked to get the deal signed off. That requires a willingness to actually get into detail on issues rather than throw scary soundbites around. TV and radio news I don't expect to cover that in detail in their short bulletins but if the documentary / features side had done research for a programme there is no reason why a nugget of 'x beds have of course been removed from the NHS in the past x years' could be casually dropped in.

Equally, just what additional capacity has been put in place or a least commenced since March 2020, other than the Nightingales which have been de-commisioned. Surely it is time to start ramping those up again if a huge mega tsunami of cases is coming our way.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Dec 2021 ==

He’s finished. It’s simply a case of when it happens now. Doesn’t resolve the issue of who replaces him though, but that’s now a secondary issue.

The fatally wounded wildblonderbeest is staggering blindly around the bush, trampling anything and everything in it's path, in a desperate attempt to evade it's predators and that inevitable end.

 

[MikeWM]

What I would like to see the media pursuing is the decline in NHS capacity over the past x decades.

Indeed - have a graph. Source https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/nhs-hospital-bed-numbers


(graph shows a continual decline in hospital beds year-on-year since the late 1980s)

Now there are good reasons for some of this - a lot of surgery that would have required a stay of multiple days is now done as day surgery, for example.

But when you consider how many *more* beds are needed due to the ever-increasing proportion of very old, very fraile, people in our society - this does look pretty scandalous.

Equally, just what additional capacity has been put in place or a least commenced since March 2020, other than the Nightingales which have been de-commisioned. Surely it is time to start ramping those up again if a huge mega tsunami of cases is coming our way.

Exactly so. At what point is 'there wasn't time to ramp up NHS capacity' going to be viewed as the pathetic excuse it is? One month - perhaps. But 21?

 

[ainsworth74]

Indeed - have a graph. Source https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/nhs-hospital-bed-numbers

View attachment 107018


Now there are good reasons for some of this - a lot of surgery that would have required a stay of multiple days is now done as day surgery, for example.

But when you consider how many *more* beds are needed due to the ever-increasing proportion of very old, very fraile, people in our society - this does look pretty scandalous.



Exactly so. At what point is 'there wasn't time to ramp up NHS capacity' going to be viewed as the pathetic excuse it is? One month - perhaps. But 21?

Dunno why you lot keep going on about this. We solved all the NHS problems by clapping for them last year!

Why spend time and resources on diving into the complex beast that is the NHS to determine the areas where savings could, safely, be made and where investment is needed and then how to deliver the services of both the NHS and the wider social care system (beds blocked by people who don't need hospital but still need extra help is big issue to) in both a cost effective manner but also one which protects those that rely on those services and those that provide them. Untangling such a mess has both political implications and finanical.

Clapping on the door step was therefore the real answer. Come on guys!

I would swear at this point, however, as a moderator if I did I'd then have to delete my own post. So, in a choose your own adventure style, feel free to imagine the expletives that would have followed.

 

[MikeWM]

Dunno why you lot keep going on about this. We solved all the NHS problems by clapping for them last year!

Some of us didn't clap for them, of course - we recognised that for what it was.

Indeed after a few weeks I found it so dispiriting that I went on a long walk into the countryside every Thursday evening, simply to get as far away from other human beings as possible.

 

[Eyersey468]

Some of us didn't clap for them, of course - we recognised that for what it was.

Indeed after a few weeks I found it so dispiriting that I went on a long walk into the countryside every Thursday evening, simply to get as far away from other human beings as possible.

I was one of the few down my street that didn't clap for them, one thing which annoyed me was all the other key workers got not one word of thanks or recognition it was all about the NHS.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Indeed - have a graph. Source https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/nhs-hospital-bed-numbers

View attachment 107018


Now there are good reasons for some of this - a lot of surgery that would have required a stay of multiple days is now done as day surgery, for example.

But when you consider how many *more* beds are needed due to the ever-increasing proportion of very old, very fraile, people in our society - this does look pretty scandalous.



Exactly so. At what point is 'there wasn't time to ramp up NHS capacity' going to be viewed as the pathetic excuse it is? One month - perhaps. But 21?

Thanks for that. I don't really want to go down another personal research rabbit hole, enough on as it is!

My two points (not to you, the link may well cover it) would be a: numbers rather than charts and b: how many long-stay NHS beds were replaced elsewhere by beds in private care homes.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Dec 2021 ==

I was one of the few down my street that didn't clap for them, one thing which annoyed me was all the other key workers got not one word of thanks or recognition it was all about the NHS.

I clapped (in my mind) for the Amazon / Tesco Home Delivery persons (and the shop staff and warehouse staff). Plus the bin-men who came every time - bar one during the flippingdemic. And the many others.

 

[MikeWM]

Thanks for that. I don't really want to go down another personal research rabbit hole, enough on as it is!

My two points (not to you, the link may well cover it) would be a: numbers rather than charts and b: how many long-stay NHS beds were replaced elsewhere by beds in private care homes.

For the first point, the report says 'Between 1987/88 and 2019/20, the total number of NHS hospital beds fell by 53 per cent – from 299,400 to 141,000'.

It also says that 'Over this same period, the number of overnight general and acute beds has fallen by 44 per cent – from around 181,000 to 101,000. However, within this category beds for the long-term care of older people fell more substantially. Between 1987/88 and 2009/10 – when beds for older people were recorded separately – numbers fell 61 per cent, from more than 53,000 to slightly less than 21,000. The number of acute beds reduced by only 21 per cent over the same period.' - which partially addresses the second (though the amount of apparent 'bed-blocking' we always hear about may well show the answer is that *not enough* were replaced in the private sector).

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Dunno why you lot keep going on about this. We solved all the NHS problems by clapping for them last year!

Some of us didn't clap for them, of course - we recognised that for what it was.

I was one of the few down my street that didn't clap for them, one thing which annoyed me was all the other key workers got not one word of thanks or recognition it was all about the NHS.

Your names have been noted. Your Great British Person App (TM) profile, coming soon to a smartphone near you, will be annotated accordingly. No sweeties for you.

 

[Eyersey468]

Your names have been noted. Your Great British Person App (TM) profile, coming soon to a smartphone near you, will be annotated accordingly. No sweeties for you.

Nothing would surprise me any more, I wouldn't put it past the clown to bring something like this in.

 

[Gloster]

I did clap, but I was in a care-home at the time and eight o’clock was shift change. I thought it might be prudent to be seen standing in my window, which overlooked the car park, clapping as the day shift left. I still think it was a piece of facile diversion, which soon declined into people looking for ways to get on TV. “And here’s a report about the Smith family of Little Caring who dressed as characters from Frozen, stood on their heads and played vuvuzelas.”

 

[DelayRepay]

Some of us didn't clap for them, of course - we recognised that for what it was.

Indeed after a few weeks I found it so dispiriting that I went on a long walk into the countryside every Thursday evening, simply to get as far away from other human beings as possible.

Come on, if things get really bad after Christmas, and if booster vaccines, vaccine certificates, 24/7 triple mask wearing and the lockdown don't save the NHS, we'll have no option but to bring back the weekly clap.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Come on, if things get really bad after Christmas, and if booster vaccines, vaccine certificates, 24/7 triple mask wearing and the lockdown don't save the NHS, we'll have no option but to bring back the weekly clap.

There's a cream you can get for that.

Back on topic.

What are peoples views on the quiz team names? Should we be allowed a laugh at the names whilst still condemning (if you do) the parties themselves?

The twitter of The Mirror reporter that broke the story (Pippa Crerar @PipperCrera 2027 14 December) contains a range of opinion.

Just days after Boris Johnson said he was "sickened and furious" to see video of No 10 staff joking about lockdown rules, we reveal that quiz team names included "Prof Quiz Whitty", "Next Slide Please", "We've Been Clear”, “The 6 Masketeers” and "Hands, Face, First Place"

Personally I condemn the parties (due to double standards being applied) but can laugh at the names.

 

[kristiang85]

There's a cream you can get for that.

That's the best laugh I've had all day, thank you

Personally I condemn the parties (due to double standards being applied) but can laugh at the names.

Yes, I had a good chuckle at these last night too. I'm amazed I hadn't thought of Prof Quiz Whitty myself during quiz nights this year.

Only in the UK does a quiz night become a national scandal.

 

[Typhoon]

I was one of the few down my street that didn't clap for them, one thing which annoyed me was all the other key workers got not one word of thanks or recognition it was all about the NHS.

I am assuming you mean by HMG. I know for certain that I was along way from being alone in thanking the postmen (they are all men round my way), bin collectors, bus drivers, retail staff, delivery drivers, police officers, others who don't come to mind in my neighbourhood.

I live in a no-clap road, most are elderly and no-one works for the NHS so it would be a token gesture. I am sure that key workers would prefer someone to actually speak to them individually rather than residents sheepishly trudge to the door the minute Eastenders has finished.

 

[Eyersey468]

I am assuming you mean by HMG. I know for certain that I was along way from being alone in thanking the postmen (they are all men round my way), bin collectors, bus drivers, retail staff, delivery drivers, police officers, others who don't come to mind in my neighbourhood.

I live in a no-clap road, most are elderly and no-one works for the NHS so it would be a token gesture. I am sure that key workers would prefer someone to actually speak to them individually rather than residents sheepishly trudge to the door the minute Eastenders has finished.

Yes sorry I meant HMG