News
Greg Evans
Dec 15, 2021
Christmas is apparently the season “to be jolly” but if this year’s festivities are anything to go by it’s definitely the season for leaked images from alleged festive parties that happened in Tory circles during Covid restrictions.
More images of apparent gatherings that happened last year have been published online with the most recent coming from an event organised by the campaign team for former London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey.
The photo, published by The Mirror, shows a group of 24 people who were all gathered together in a medium-sized room at Conservative Campaign Headquarters on December 14th 2020, when the rest of London was in a tier 2 lockdown.
A catered buffet, along with party hats, glasses of wine, lots of laughs and even Christmas jumpers can be seen in the photo at what has been described as a “raucous” event that went on late into the night.
EXCLUSIVE: Extraordinary image of raucous Christmas party thrown by Tory aides at party HQ during coronavirus restr… https://t.co/8ftWyQ50Gu— Pippa Crerar (@Pippa Crerar) 1639514233
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Bailey has now apologised “unreservedly” for attending the “gathering” and has quit as the chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee. A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority Conservatives said Bailey had stepped down to prevent the “unauthorised social gathering” distracting from the committee’s work of holding London mayor Sadiq Khan to account.
I want to apologise unreservedly for attending a gathering held by some of my staff in my campaign office last December. 1/3— Shaun Bailey (@Shaun Bailey) 1639585806
Reactions to the images are, predictably, rather uncomplimentary with many people irate that there are more allegations of Tories breaking lockdown rules.
So they deserved to party but not us? Who is the whistleblower pls?👏🏽 1.Shaun Bailey only Black person in this pic… https://t.co/8p7CcveFLH— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu) 1639526522
You know what I can’t stop thinking of? The 14 year old boy who died alone in hospital and his family right now. https://t.co/83sCqEm0sG— Luke Elliott (@Luke Elliott) 1639519092
Is this some kind of joke? https://t.co/00ZmddQxdL— Jeremy Vine (@Jeremy Vine) 1639543656
They should all resign: most disgusting photo yet of pissed up Tory hypocrisy during London lockdown. https://t.co/YoS806B04N— Richard Tice (@Richard Tice) 1639516448
One of these things is not like the other. One of these things doesn’t belong. https://t.co/ksPZukKDJZ— Amanda (@Amanda) 1639524098
The fact they took a photo of them violating rules millions were forced to endure shows they are as contemptous of… https://t.co/gu9KJAegYs— Owen Jones 🌹 (@Owen Jones 🌹) 1639516310
The buffet… the drinks… the smiles… Hard to conclude anything other than that this party held in CCHQ last year wa… https://t.co/A2DjI1oozl— Paul Brand (@Paul Brand) 1639514905
Others have had a bit of fun with the photo at the expense of Bailey’s team and the Conservatives.
This is only the second most stupid thing Shaun Bailey has done, the first was when he spent a day campaigning to b… https://t.co/OKYwQpyAl1— Jack Duncan 🔻🏳️🌈 (@Jack Duncan 🔻🏳️🌈) 1639517213
Full marks to Shaun Bailey for resigning as soon as he's caught attending a party during lockdown. That's what anyo… https://t.co/EgHiErWnO5— Parody Boris Johnson (@Parody Boris Johnson) 1639526388
https://t.co/5s7nwGlK6t— Cold War Steve (@Cold War Steve) 1639522714
Still, it looks like a super party. https://t.co/gDyp43sVAj— THE SECRET TORY (@THE SECRET TORY) 1639517070
It’s the bloke in the back craning his neck to make sure his face is in shot that makes this for me https://t.co/Y6llyTPKMf— Adam Woodward (@Adam Woodward) 1639520603
Fixed it https://t.co/iCWjcoL4qy— The Poke (@The Poke) 1639520535
Shaun Bailey’s campaign staff: https://t.co/HdSiKI3lUW— dean (@dean) 1639554097
The Prawn Sandwich Brigade 2020 https://t.co/Kg96t3VjWk— Gary Neville (@Gary Neville) 1639556510
Well I think it was nice for Shaun Bailey to invite all of the people who voted for him to attend his party— Matt Chorley (@Matt Chorley) 1639516449
Despite the health risks, heroic Tory party workers swiftly come to the aid of a staffer who collapsed choking on a… https://t.co/W63bBnOc3h— Armando Iannucci (@Armando Iannucci) 1639523171
"Has that blasted photographer gone?" https://t.co/1qJIyZLvlH— HappyToast ★ (@HappyToast ★) 1639519426
People seem to seriously be asking how Shaun Bailey’s London mayoral campaign team could have done something this s… https://t.co/keEkzMyx6Y— Tom Peck (@Tom Peck) 1639559145
my friend made this but said his twitter is too professional for him to tweet it, and i think other people deserve… https://t.co/gL5eC6M0mV— Imogen West-Knights (@Imogen West-Knights) 1639564178
Others noted that it did look like the sort of photo that a football teams takes after they’ve won a match.
‘Brilliant three points for the lads today - fans were class as always!!! ‘Onto the next one 💯💯💯💪💪💪’ https://t.co/96RdL0NnAX— Nick Miller (@Nick Miller) 1639517880
Knew I’d seen this before https://t.co/YlAyYzJ51R https://t.co/lCpFKdwE4D— billy🏴 (@billy🏴) 1639522195
Same vibes. #WatfordFC https://t.co/VfdSwPun2L https://t.co/vGlO2DUA7L— Sam Ucko (@Sam Ucko) 1639522076
Even deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner couldn’t believe that there was catering.
THEY EVEN GOT CATERING IN https://t.co/gciab5A4Yx— Angela Rayner (@Angela Rayner) 1639516646
CCHQ did reportedly stress on Tuesday evening that the event was “unauthorised” and that three members of staff had been disciplined as a result.
A campaign spokesperson said: “On the evening of 14 December 2020, at the end of the working day, the campaign hosted a post-work event to thank campaign staff for their efforts over the course of the year.
“This was a serious error of judgement and we fully accept that gathering like this as this time was wrong and we apologise unreservedly.”
Last week, when details of the party emerged, a Tory spokesman said: “Senior CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of December 14.
“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”
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