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Adam Wagner Profile picture
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14 Jan, 4 tweets, 1 min read
The Covid Task Force "is responsible for coordinating the Government’s response to the pandemic" which, I assume, means coordinating the rules themselves (see committees.parliament.uk/publications/4…). Remember Cabinet Office was responsible for the regulations throughout
So, to recap, the person who appears to have been the lead civil servant responsible for the COVID Guidance and regulations was thrown an apparently rule breaking leaving party on 17 December, during Tier 3, which she has now apologised for.
And I bet there were others at that particular party whose responsibility it was to write the rules themselves. Extraordinary.
I mean, come on.

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More from @AdamWagner1

Adam Wagner Profile picture
14 Jan
The details of this are quite something - and plainly they knew they were doing something wrong.

And now No 10 has apologised - clearly accepting this was a party, and that surely puts paid to any possibility of saying this was also "reasonably necessary for work" Image
How that didn't breach the regulations at the time - really not that long ago by the way - is beyond me.
Nb. it's only when the Queen is involved that they apologise off the bat rather than trying to say "all guidance was followed".
Read 6 tweets
Adam Wagner Profile picture
13 Jan
This was during Step 2 when it was unlawful to hold gatherings indoors of 2+ people or outdoors with more than 6 unless "reasonably necessary for work"

As I have said a few times recently, boozy parties were probably not reasonable necessary for work

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/364/…
There was also a £10,000 fixed penalty notice for people organising unlawful gatherings in a private dwelling. If the garden of 10 Downing Street is the garden attached to private dwellings (as the PM has said) then organisers might be in line for a big fine...
The government's own guidance during this period for offices was extremely strict. It is impossible that a boozy indoor (or outdoor) leaving party could fit within it.
web.archive.org/web/2021040616…
Read 7 tweets
Adam Wagner Profile picture
13 Jan
I think this is a fair point. Sue Gray is not independent in any sense would stand up legally e.g. if an independent inquiry was required for human rights legal purposes. Not questioning her integrity but this is best though of as an internal not independent inquiry
Sue Gray is in a very difficult position. Previously eg with the Damian Green inquiry she was investigating an MP. Here she is investigating her direct boss (Simon Case) and his boss (Boris Johnston) amongst others including I assume her senior colleagues. It’s almost impossible
One thing that hasn’t really been focused on but is important is that Simon Case was also said to be independent but turned out, not by his own admission, had held his own gathering - and remember just as that was revealed ministers were suggesting he was about to exonerate
Read 5 tweets
Adam Wagner Profile picture
12 Jan
The Johnson apology was carefully worded and obviously lawyered. He said that he attended because he "believed implicitly that this was a work event", that "with hindsight" he should have sent everyone back inside, and "technically" it could be said to fall within the guidance.
The apology - when read carefully - was to the millions of people who "wouldn’t see it in that way", but because he also said technically it could be said to fall within the guidance he is implicitly saying the millions of people are wrong in their interpretation.
This was only what *he* thought the event was. He "went into the garden to thank groups of staff for 25 minutes [he] believed implicitly this was a work event". So defence is a personal one only and leaves open the possibility the event was something else without him realising
Read 13 tweets
Adam Wagner Profile picture
10 Jan
This looks unlikely to be legal for attendees. Being outside the home was illegal at the time unless (the only potentially relevant exception) it was for the need to work. “Socially distanced drinks” / “BYOB” don’t sound like work.
This is more detail on the legal aspects. Sounds like a big party not work. Extraordinary really and so brazen. The PM wouldn’t be breaking that law as he was in his own garden but perhaps could be an accessory to everyone else’s breach of regulations
It’s called “drinks”! Honestly, what did they think they were doing? Why did the PM attend and obviously problematic event?
Read 7 tweets
Adam Wagner Profile picture
8 Jan
This sounds very concerning. On 20 May 2020 the UK was still in lockdown. As the article says, the "bring your own bottle" request, as well as officials replying it was a bad idea, suggests it wasn't necessary for work.
"long tables laden with drink, crisps, sausage roles..."
The law at the time was "no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse". This included "the need to work". However, if an activity was not necessary for work that wouldn't be a reasonable excuse to be out.
legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/…
This is I assumed the gathering referred to in @Dominic2306's recent blog, which I assume prompted the ST investigation
Read 16 tweets

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