PM's private sec Martin Reynolds wrote: "Hi all. After what has been an incredibly busy period it would be nice to make the most of the lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the No10 garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!"
At the time, the rest of England was banned from outdoor gatherings.
Just an hour before the event Cabinet minister Oliver Dowden said: "You can meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor, public place provided that you stay two metres apart".
NEW: There will be no further Covid restrictions before New Year in England, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said.
Health Secretary says people should "remain cautious" and celebrate NYE outside if possible.
Javid adds: “When we get into the new year, of course we will see then whether we do need to take any further measures, but nothing more until then at least.”
Only partial data published for Christmas period in England but case numbers still high - 113,628 on Dec 25. Record highs in Scotland.
And first NHS data released since Christmas shows Covid patients in London hospitals have surged by 62% in a week.
EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson accused of personally breaking Covid laws by hosting a Christmas quiz in No10 last year - and we've got pictures 👀 mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
PM caught on screen, sitting beneath portrait of Margaret Thatcher, as he hosted round of quiz on December 15 last year.
He was flanked by two members of top team, one wearing Santa hat, other draped in tinsel. At time, law banned mixing w/ other households for social reasons.
The quiz was supposed to be virtual - but many staff (one source says around 70) stayed in No 10 after work instead.
They huddled by computers, conferring on questions and knocking back fizz, wine and beer. Private office, policy unit & press office all had in-person teams.
EXCL: Boris Johnson is to appoint leading Brexiteer Gisela Stuart as the new civil service commissioner. Likely to be a controversial move.
The role is responsible for making sure that top mandarins are appointed on merit - rather than because of political links - and to guarantee impartiality of civil service.
Ex-Labour MP Gisela Stuart grew close to Boris Johnson as chair of Vote Leave. She urged voters to back the Tories at the 2019 election and was appointed to the Lords by the PM where she sits as a non-affiliated peer.
Boris Johnson kicks off #PMQs by saying he “understands and shares the anger” at No 10 staff over the Christmas party.
“I was also furious,” he says, while suggesting he was told that not party had happened.
PM says he’s “sickened myself and furious” about the leaked vid but was “repeatedly assured” it hadn’t happened.
He announces an internal investigation by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and says if rules broken “disciplinary action will follow”.
Whether or not PM was aware of the Xmas party (hard to believe he wasn’t) he will struggle to claim he wasn’t aware of the leaving bash on November 17 because he was THERE. He gave a speech.