Allegra Stratton, the Downing Street staffer caught on camera joking about a Downing Street Christmas party last year, has resigned.
Stratton was caught on camera during a mock press conference last year joking about an alleged Christmas party at No 10 that would have contravened lockdown laws. The video emerged last night and has already caused an investigation to be launched in to the reported party.
She has now resigned, saying: "My remarks seemed to make light of the rules - rules that people were doing everything to obey.
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"That was never my intention. I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days and offer my profound apologies to all of you for them.
"I understand the anger and frustration that people feel. To all of you who lost loved ones, endured intolerable loneliness and struggled with your businesses, I am sorry and this afternoon I am offering my resignation to the prime minister.
At the time of the video and the party, Stratton was the prime minister's press secretary, a political appointee reportedly hand-picked by Boris Johnson to front what were due to be televised daily press conferences from Downing Street. That plan ended up being scrapped, and Stratton's role was changed, making her the spokesperson for Britain's chairmanship of the Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.
Before entering Downing Street, Stratton was a journalist at ITV News, Newsnight, and the Guardian. Somewhat ironically, it was ITV News's reporting - in uncovering the video of her joking about the party - that made her position untenable.
Sources have told the Mirror, the BBC, and more outlets that there was a party on December 18 last year, when social gatherings were illegal. There was reportedly cheese and wine, party games, and a round of Secret Santa.
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At the time of the party, London was in tier three, meaning indoor gatherings of two or more people were against the law unless "reasonably necessary" for work. The BBC has reported that "several dozen" were present at the party.
Guidance from the time on Christmas gatherings specifically said: "Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier."
The day after the party, Boris Johnson cancelled Christmas for the country. A few days later he took the country in to a fresh lockdown which lasted months.
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