The civil servant tasked with investigating claims of a Christmas party at Downing Street last year held his own office party the day before.
Simon Case, the cabinet secretary in charge of the UK civil service, attended a Christmas party with a team of his officials on December 17 last year, according to reports.
Simon Case's position as chair of the inquiry into the string of parties is "now being considered" by Downing Street as opponents questioned his impartiality.
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, declared the allegations “fundamentally and fatally undermined” Case’s own investigations into alleged parties during lockdown last winter.
Blackford tweeted: “The man directed to investigate Christmas parties against the rules the rest of us followed, hosted his own Christmas party. This Government is rotten to the core.”
Blackford has written to the Prime Minister calling for the investigation to be scrapped.
He said: “The public cannot possibly have any confidence in an inquiry, led by someone alleged to have been involved in the very matter being investigated.”
Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour leader, said: “Which each new revelation there is growing evidence of a culture of turning a blind eye to the rules.
“Labour made it clear when the investigation was launched that the person in charge should be uncompromised and able to make a fair and independent judgement. These fresh revelations put that into question.”
Case, the Cabinet Secretary, is expected to reveal the results of his probe into a party held in Downing Street on December 18 last year.
But he now faces claims that he held at least one party last December with alcohol being served and music played at events planned and organised by staff in Case’s own Private Office.
The event, in room 103 of the Cabinet Office, began at 5:30 pm and was listed in digital calendar invitations as “Christmas party!”
Case’s investigation into Downing Street parties during lockdown will include a review of whether Boris Johnson broke the law by personally hosting a quiz night.
To sign To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
