Video showing Tory staff at Christmas party during lockdown is ‘terrible’, Michael Gove admits

Published

2 years ago

June 19, 2023

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A video showing Conservative Party workers at a Christmas party during lockdown in 2020 is “terrible” and “completely out of order”, Michael Gove has said.

The Levelling Up Secretary was reacting to the video, obtained by the Mirror, which showed people dancing and drinking at a gathering – ignoring strict social distancing rules imposed by the government at the height of the pandemic.

“The fact this party went ahead is indefensible,” Mr Gove told Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

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Gove reacts to Christmas party footage

At least 24 people were reportedly at the event, which took place at Conservative Party headquarters on 14 December 2020.

Mr Gove told Sky News: “I just want to apologise to everyone really who, looking at that image, will think well these are people who are flouting the rules that were put in place to protect us all.”

He added that he is “sure the people there feel contrite – or I hope they do”.

Analysis: Gove’s straight-talking strategy may not do PM any favours

Squeezing an apology out of a politician is no easy feat.

But contrition, so often painfully drawn out under the spotlight, could not have come more readily to Michael Gove’s lips this morning.

“I just want to apologise to everyone,” he announced, no sooner than the interview with Sophy Ridge had started.

A mistake? Then came another, and another: four apologies in all for a video showing drinking and dancing at Conservative campaign HQ during lockdown.

As I understand it, the apology was not a strategy that came from Downing Street, but a personal decision by the at times unconventional levelling up secretary.

Will his straight-talking strategy appeal to the public? Or will it tie Rishi Sunak too closely to an event, and a time, he is desperate to move on from?

The COVID Inquiry, the Privileges Committee’s damning verdict on Boris Johnson, and now this video, all falling at the same time, feeds into a picture of Conservative rule breaking.

It is also a distraction for the PM from the very present and pressing problems he faces: rising mortgage rates, sky-high inflation and an all-round bleak economic outlook.

This video may not be dramatically shifting the dial, but it does not help the party or the PM.

The gathering included Shaun Bailey – who was running a campaign to be the mayor of London at the time – and Ben Mallet, the director for his 2021 campaign in the capital.

Mr Bailey is understood to have left before the video was taken.

He has recently been given a peerage, adding to him to the House of Lords, in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours – approved by Downing Street.

Mr Mallet was given an OBE in the same honours list.

The Mirror previously released a photo from the party, which was subsequently investigated by police. No further action was taken at the time due to lack of evidence.

The police have said they are “considering” the newly revealed video.

What were the restrictions at the time of the video?

The video was taken on 14 December 2020, when the England was under the tiering system of COVID restrictions.

London was in “Tier 2” – high alert – at the time, and shortly afterwards was upgraded to “Tier 3” – very high alert.

Tier 2 meant there was supposed to be no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles, and only six people were allowed to meet – socially distanced – outside.

Funerals could have up to 30 guests, weddings and wakes were only allowed 15 guests, and pubs and bars were only allowed to serve alcohol alongside the notorious “substantial meal”.

Tier 3 restrictions were harsher, with all hospitality closed – and there was a restriction on overnight stays outside the impacted area.

There was also no mixing of households allowed, even in most outdoor places – although the rule of six could be used in outdoor areas like parks and sports centres.

The video and pictures of the gathering showed at least 24 people present – more than what was allowed at a wake or a wedding at the time.

Mr Gove was confronted with the account of one member of the public, who could not be with a family member having surgery on the same day as the video was taken.

The minister said he was “very, very sorry” for what happened.

Sophy Ridge repeatedly pushed Mr Gove on whether it was appropriate for Mr Bailey and Mr Mallet to have been given honours.

The cabinet minister said the current rules – that a resigning prime ministers can honour who they want – should not be interfered with.

He added that a debate on changing the rules was “well worth having”, but that “procedure” should be followed for the moment and those who broke restrictions should still be given gongs.

Mr Gove did say it was for Mr Johnson to defend his choice of people who were honoured.

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Following the interview with Sophy Ridge, Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said: “Gove’s apology is too little too late, it will bring cold comfort to the millions of people who stuck by the rules in the darkest days of the pandemic.”

Responding to the video, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Senior CCHQ staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of 14 December 2020.

“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”

World

Donald Trump sending ‘top of the line’ weapons to support NATO in Ukraine war

Published

7 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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Donald Trump sending 'top of the line' weapons to support NATO in Ukraine war

Donald Trump has agreed to send “top of the line weapons” to NATO to support Ukraine – and threatened Russia with “severe” tariffs if it doesn’t agree to end the war.

Speaking with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte during a meeting at the White House, the US president said: “We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them.

“This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment which is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO, and that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield.”

Follow the latest here

It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a “very good conversation” with Mr Trump late on Monday. He thanked him for the “willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings”.

Weapons being sent from to Ukraine include surface-to-air Patriot missile systems and batteries, which the country has asked for to defend itself from Russian air strikes.

Mr Trump also said he was “very unhappy” with Russia, and threatened “severe tariffs” of “about 100%” if there isn’t a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days.

The White House added that the US would put “secondary sanctions” on countries that buy oil from Russia if an agreement was not reached.

Mr Zelenskyy previously criticised Vladimir Putin’s “desire to drag [the war] out”, and said Kyiv was “working on major defence agreements with America”.

It comes after weeks of frustration from Mr Trump over Mr Putin’s refusal to agree to an end to the conflict, with the Russian leader telling the US president he would “not back down” from Moscow’s goals in Ukraine at the start of the month.

During the briefing on Monday, Mr Trump said he had held calls with Mr Putin where he would think “that was a nice phone call”, but then “missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city, and that happens three or four times”.

“I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy,” he added.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump told Mr Zelenskyy “you’re gambling with World War Three” in a fiery White House meeting, and suggested Ukraine started the war against Russia as he sought to negotiate an end to the conflict.

After Mr Trump’s briefing, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said on Telegram: “If this is all that Trump had in mind to say about Ukraine today, then all the steam has gone out.”

Meanwhile, Mr Zelenskyy met with US special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv, where they “discussed the path to peace” by “strengthening Ukraine’s air defence, joint production, and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe”.

He thanked both the envoy for the visit and Mr Trump “for the important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries”.

World

Trump announces weapons deal with NATO to help Ukraine – as he gives Putin 50-day ultimatum

Published

21 hours ago

July 14, 2025

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Trump announces weapons deal with NATO to help Ukraine - as he gives Putin 50-day ultimatum

Donald Trump has agreed to send “top of the line weapons” to NATO to support Ukraine – and threatened Russia with “severe” tariffs if it doesn’t agree to end the war.

Speaking with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte during a meeting at the White House, the US president said: “We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them.

“This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment which is going to be purchased from the United States,” he added, “going to NATO, and that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield.”

Follow the latest here

Weapons being sent include surface-to-air Patriot missile systems and batteries, which Ukraine has asked for to defend itself from Russian air strikes.

Mr Trump also said he was “very unhappy” with Russia, and threatened “severe tariffs” of “about 100%” if there isn’t a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days.

The White House added that the US would put “secondary sanctions” on countries that buy oil from Russia if an agreement was not reached.

It comes after weeks of frustration from Mr Trump against Vladimir Putin’s refusal to agree to an end to the conflict, with the Russian leader telling the US president he would “not back down” from Moscow’s goals in Ukraine at the start of the month.

During the briefing on Monday, Mr Trump said he had held calls with Mr Putin where he would think “that was a nice phone call,” but then “missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city, and that happens three or four times”.

“I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy,” he added.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy “you’re gambling with World War Three” in a fiery White House meeting, and suggested Ukraine started the war against Russia as he sought to negotiate an end to the conflict.

After Mr Trump’s briefing, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said on Telegram: “If this is all that Trump had in mind to say about Ukraine today, then all the steam has gone out.”

He thanked both the envoy for the visit and Mr Trump “for the important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries”.

World

At least 30 dead and 100 injured as armed groups clash in Syria, officials say

Published

1 day ago

July 14, 2025

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At least 30 dead and 100 injured as armed groups clash in Syria, officials say

At least 30 people have been killed in the Syrian city of Sweida in clashes between local military groups and tribes, according to Syria’s interior ministry.

Officials say initial figures suggest around 100 people have also been injured in the city, where the Druze faith is one of the major religious groups.

The interior ministry said its forces will directly intervene to resolve the conflict, which the Reuters news agency said involved fighting between Druze gunmen and Bedouin Sunni tribes.

It marks the latest episode of sectarian violence in Syria, where fears among minority groups have increased since Islamist-led rebels toppled President Bashar al Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces.

The violence reportedly erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida.

Last April, Sunni militia clashed with armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, and fighting later spread to another district near the capital.

But this is the first time the fighting has been reported inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports the fighting was centred in the Maqwas neighbourhood east of Sweida and villages on the western and northern outskirts of the city.

It adds that Syria’s Ministry of Defence has deployed military convoys to the area.

Western nations, including the US and UK, have been increasingly moving towards normalising relations with Syria.

Concerns among minority groups have intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists.

That was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by rebel forces.

The city of Sweida is in southern Syria, about 24 miles (38km) north of the border with Jordan.