麻豆社

Nearly a year ago when the spread of the Kent variant was causing great concern among the government鈥檚 scientific advisers, London was in Tier 3 which meant it was forbidden to meet in a social gathering indoors with anyone outside your household, but some staff at No 10 were reported to have held a Christmas party - a story originally broken by the Mirror newspaper.

Since then Downing Street and a series of ministers have insisted that everything was within the rules. On Tuesday, ITV released a leaked video which shows senior No 10 staff joking about holding a Christmas party just days after one was allegedly held. The PM's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton is asked by colleagues about reports of a party, as they rehearse a news conference in December last year. Downing Street continues to insist no party took place.

Today's Martha Kearney spoke to Sir Roger Gale, Conservative MP for North Thanet, who has said leaked footage of senior aides appearing to joke about a party was "not a laughing matter".

(Image: Downing Street Christmas Tree 2020, Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire)