Invites to Jingle & Mingle Xmas party emerge as cops say they're assessing video
Scotland Yard has confirmed that its officers are assessing the Mirror's bombshell video of a Christmas bash at Tory HQ.
Sickening footage shows party workers drinking, dancing and laughing at Covid rules during lockdown.
It comes as invitations for the gathering, obtained by the BBC, show that it was described as a "Jingle & Mingle Christmas Drinks".
In a statement this lunchtime, the Metropolitan Police said: "We are aware of a video showing a December 2020 event that was previously the subject of an investigation into alleged Covid breaches. Officers are assessing that video."
The video, published exclusively on the Mirror website, captures officials joking about the rule-bending bash in the basement of the Conservative Party’s headquarters.
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The BBC got hold of an invitation for the bash (BBC)Angry relatives have accused campaign staff filmed twirling each other around in the footage of “dancing on the graves of those who died”.
The Christmas bash was held on December 14, 2020 when socialising indoors was banned in many parts of the country including London.
The footage shows one pair of dancing partygoers knocking over wine glasses as they spiral into a table laden with buffet food.
The Pogues' Fairytale of New York can be heard blaring out in the background as the revellers joke about how the gathering is against the rules.
It is the first time footage has emerged of one of the rule-breaking parties in Westminster.
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The dance pair hit the buffet tableIn a grovelling apology on live television, Cabinet minister Michael Gove yesterday described the video as "terrible" and “unacceptable”.
Downing Street today has said Rishi Sunak will not strip gongs from two Tories who were at the bash.
The Christmas gathering was attended by failed London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and campaign aide Ben Mallet.
It was announced as part of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list a week ago that the pair will receive a peerage and an OBE respectively.
Families who lost loved ones in the pandemic have called for them to be blocked from getting the gongs.
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But the Prime MInister’s spokesman said there were “no plans” to do this.
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