The Prime Minister reportedly gave a speech at a packed leaving do for a key aide last November – despite the country being in its second lockdown.
Then, with London under ‘Tier 3’, he attended an unofficial festive party at No10 – in an event branded a ‘Covid nightmare’.
One legal expert told the Mirror that the dos could have been punishable with a £10,000 fine.
The revelations have been met with anger among the public, with the government having already faced a string of hypocrisy and sleaze allegations during the pandemic.
A source said: ‘While senior civil servants were urging caution to the public, Prime Minister gave the impression that it could be very relaxed in No 10.'
‘He would either turn a blind eye or on some occasions attend himself while everyone else was in lockdown’.
No10’s official staff Christmas party is said to have been cancelled but the alleged leaving do is said to have occurred on November 27 and the unofficial Christmas bash, which the PM did not attend, on December 18 – after London moved to the third tier of local restrictions.
That meant all indoor mixing outside of household bubbles was banned, though there were exceptions for mixing that was ‘reasonably necessary for work’.
Both parties were attended by ’40 to 50′ people, the Mirror reported.
And one source said that there were ‘many social gatherings’ in Downing Street last year while the public faced restrictions, adding that there were ‘always parties’ in Mr Johnson’s Downing Street flat.
Rumours of a third, smaller gathering on the night top aide Dominic Cummings walked out, on November 13, is said to have involved staff ‘all getting totally plastered’.
We have approached Downing Street about the latest accusations, which come after Mr Johnson said Christmas parties should not be cancelled.
But a spokesman did not deny the claims to the Mirror, and claimed: ‘Covid rules have been followed at all times.’
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A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) also warned that the NHS backlog could swell to 12 million – or one in five people – by March 2025.
It currently stands at a record 5.83 million – up from 4.43 million in February 2020.
Charities said the impact on patients had been ‘devastating’, while medics said the report showed we are in the midst of ‘the biggest cancer catastrophe ever to hit the NHS’.
This is likely to be an underestimate, as the government scheme makes it harder to identify who is homeless.
The worst affected cities were London, with 143 deaths, followed by Liverpool City Region (46), Greater Manchester (35), Birmingham (21), Bristol (20) and Leeds (18)
Last year the average age of homeless people dying was 45.9 for men and 41.6 for women.
That’s 30 years below the average for the population in England and Wales.
Even young, fit people in their 20s are dying after finding themselves on the streets. trib.al/kQrg7UA
People with HIV are currently not able to join the armed forces, and anyone diagnosed while serving is no longer deemed ‘fully fit’ and banned from certain operations 🙃
But from today, those who do not have HIV but are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication to protect themselves against infection will be able to join and serve with no restrictions.
‘Someone once told me that there’s a warp and a weft to life and when something like a cancer diagnosis comes in, the fabric of your life changes pattern forever.’ 💔
Music producer Hilary Morgan earnestly writes about how confirmation of the end can be the beginning of truly living - a lesson she learnt after her husband was diagnosed with cancer.
‘When my husband, Tim, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2015, he was determined to make the most of the time he had left.
Prior to the diagnosis, Tim had been unusually tired for a year or so, which, on reflection, was anaemia due to the cancer.’ She wrote.
Mr Trump told the former Brexit Party leader: ‘I’m not a fan of hers. I wasn’t from day one. I think Harry has been used horribly and I think someday he will regret it.’
He added: ‘I think it’s ruined his relationship with his family, and it hurts the Queen.’
In response to Meghan asking US politicians to back paid parental leave, Mr Trump said: ‘She is trying do things that I think are very inappropriate.’
Trump is currently under investigation for fraud, election tampering and defamation, as well as connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
While the Health Secretary is insisting that people should not change their festive plans just yet, he has also recommended testing yourself before attending any Christmas gatherings amid growing concerns over the Omicron variant.
Current advice from ministers may remind people of last winter, when the Prime Minister insisted Christmas could go ahead as planned – before U-turning days before and locking the country down again.
Mr Javid told Sky News: ‘I think people should continue to behave in the way they were planning to behave over Christmas.
‘I don’t think there is any need to change those plans.’
Asked if people should take a Covid test before attending festive parties, he replied: ‘I would.’