I havent got an explanation for this, but if I had to guess, it would be that the new room was not up and running in December, as you previously suggested, and that because Allegra Stratton was only pitching to Downing Street staff, they used the new room which wasnt quite ready. It was a dummy run. Boris was pitching to the real press and used the room that they were using until the new one was ready. This was the room they were using for the covid briefings, which they were at one stage doing on a daily basis. They must have been different rooms. They could not have carried out a complete refurb on the same room, at the same time as they were using it for daily press briefings.
At the briefing No 10 also said the PM still has full confidence in Allegra Stratton, his spokesperson on Cop26 who was his press secretary last December when she was filmed making light of a question about a lockdown-busting No 10 party in a filmed press conference rehearsal never intended to be broadcast.
Boris Johnson apologises for Downing Street video but insists no Christmas party was held – PMQs live
Latest updates: Boris Johnson says he understands fury over leaked video but insists no rules were broken.
No 10 won't confirm that cabinet secretary investigating Christmas party didn't attend himself 14:11 At the Downing Street post-PMQs lobby briefing No 10 confirmed that Boris Johnson did not attend the party on 18 December last year.
But, as my colleague Jessica Elgot reports, No 10 would not say whether Simon Case, the cabinet secretary asked to investigate the party, attended himself.
New - No10 briefing declines to confirm or deny if their spokesmen or indeed the cabinet Secretary Simon Case were at the gatherings last winter. The only investigation is into the Dec 18 party - the one they will confirm the PM did not attend. No investigations into others.
Number 10 junior staff were just told they will be made to carry the can for this scandal. If you feel this is unfair, here is a way to contact the Guardian securely. My DMs are also open.
Kevin Maguire @Kevin_Maguire No 10 refusing to say whether or not Cabinet Secretary Simon Case was at the party he’s now investigating.
Another untenable Downing Street position.
So did or didn’t he go?
Because if Case went, he can’t head an inquiry though he could supply a guest list.
BREAKING - The Christmas party inquiry Boris Johnson just announced won't bother looking at claims the Prime Minister himself spoke at a staffer's leaving do in the middle of lockdown
‘Sickening’: Outrage at leaked footage of No 10 staff joking about 'Xmas lockdown party'
Footage has been leaked of senior Number 10 staff joking about an alleged Christmas party held in Downing Street last Christmas while social gatherings were banned.
Reports have recently emerged that Downing Street staff broke lockdown rules to hold a party, which involved a drinks, food and a pre-planned Secret Santa.
The video, obtained by ITV News, shows Boris Johnson’s then press secretary Allegra Stratton laughing as she responds to questions about the gathering from her colleagues.
Labour MPs have dubbed the footage “stomach turning” and “utterly contemptible”.
The footage is dated 22 December, four days after the party is reported to have happened.
It appears to show Stratton taking part in a rehearsal for a televised press briefing, and preparing answers to possible questions.
The friend of Carrie who let slip No10's Christmas party: How ex-Guardian journalist Allegra Stratton was hired during war with Dominic Cummings and is STILL on 125k a year for a 'non-job'
The PM's former press secretary had been one of the more disaster-prone members of a notoriously dysfunctional government.
'Gonna party like it's Downing Street in LOCKDOWN': Twitter erupts with fury and mocking memes after video shows No10 staff joking about 'illegal' festive bash during Tier 3 shutdown
Footage last night emerged of Downing Street aides joking about branding their own Christmas party as a 'business meeting' to hide the fact it broke Covid laws. In response, social media was once again flooded with memes mocking Boris Johnson and No10. Mr Johnson was compared to Pinocchio and Mr Blobby while others highlighted the fact no government minister was put up for broadcast interviews to discuss the matter this morning.
'Why should public stick to rules when No10 didn't?' Tory fury at Boris's Plan B after PM orders return to WFH, more masks and Covid passports - with Javid told to RESIGN by his own Commons colleagues as anger boils over about 'illegal' Christmas party
The Prime Minister (main at Downing Street) announced that working from home guidance will return, vaccine passports will become mandatory in large venues and the wearing of face coverings will be extended to theatres and cinemas. At the same time, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (right) unveiled the plans in the Commons, telling MPs that the changes were necessary because Omicron cases were doubling 'every two to three days' - and that by the end of the month they could exceed a million. He said the new rules would not be reviewed until January 5 - and the law imposing them would not run out until January 26. But Mr Javid was heckled, and even urged to resign, by a string of Tory MPs angry both at the return of economically damaging restrictions - and at the announcement coming on a day when Downing Street faced fury over an 'illicit' No 10 Christmas party at the height of restrictions last year. Economic experts also criticised the move ahead of the crucial pre-Christmas period, warning they could cost the economy £4 billion a month and 'easily' knock 2 per cent off the size of the economy. One Tory critic, Mark Harper, chairman of the anti-lockdown Covid Research Group, said: 'Why should people at home, listening to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State, do things that people working in No 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?'
Allegra Stratton QUITS: Boris Johnson calls it a 'sad day' and says spokeswoman was 'outstanding' as she resigns in tears and 'profoundly' apologises for footage showing her giggling about 'illegal' No10 party
Allegra Stratton, the former spokeswoman for the British PM, announced she had quit her £125,000 a year role offering a 'profound apology' for appearing to 'make light' of Covid rules. In emotional comments to journalists near her London home, Ms Stratton said: 'My remarks seemed to make light of rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey. That was never my intention. I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days.' In the video, Ms Stratton suggested she had not personally attended the party - quipping that she 'went home' instead. The move came hours after Boris Johnson mounted a desperate effort to put a lid on the chaos threatening to derail the response to the Omicron variant. But the government seems paralysed by inability to disentangle the video scandal from the looming Covid crisis. SAGE has warned ministers that Omicron hospital admissions could breach 1,000 a day in England by the end of the year without tougher restrictions to stem the spread of the super-mutant Covid variant. The powerful Covid O Cabinet subcommittee has been meeting to sign off on 'Plan B' curbs, although the prospect of the proposals being finalised by tonight seems to be receding.
Were there FOUR parties inside Downing Street? Claims of a festive quiz, Friday wine sessions and a bash to celebrate Dominic Cummings' exit put even more pressure on under-fire Boris Johnson
The row over last year's 'illicit' Downing Street Christmas party has rocked Westminster. But it emerged yesterday that the December 18 event may have been only one of as many as four Downing Street bashes held in the run-up to Christmas - at a time when the country was under stringent Covid restrictions. It was alleged there was a leaving do where the PM reportedly gave a speech (left), a quiz night (bottom right) and even a celebration in the Downing Street flat on the night Dominic Cummings left No10 (top right). There were also said to have been other parties in Whitehall departments. Here John Stevens and Harriet Line detail just what is known about what went on inside Downing Street while the rest of Britain faced swingeing virus rules.
Comments
Different rooms?
It was a dummy run.
Boris was pitching to the real press and used the room that they were using until the new one was ready.
This was the room they were using for the covid briefings, which they were at one stage doing on a daily basis.
They must have been different rooms.
They could not have carried out a complete refurb on the same room, at the same time as they were using it for daily press briefings.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/e2-80-98they-e2-80-99re-laughing-at-you-e2-80-99-labour-steps-up-pressure-on-boris-johnson-over-no-10-christmas-party-e2-80-93-uk-politics-live/ar-AARB1cq
Latest updates: Boris Johnson says he understands fury over leaked video but insists no rules were broken.
No 10 won't confirm that cabinet secretary investigating Christmas party didn't attend himself
14:11
At the Downing Street post-PMQs lobby briefing No 10 confirmed that Boris Johnson did not attend the party on 18 December last year.
But, as my colleague Jessica Elgot reports, No 10 would not say whether Simon Case, the cabinet secretary asked to investigate the party, attended himself.
New - No10 briefing declines to confirm or deny if their spokesmen or indeed the cabinet Secretary Simon Case were at the gatherings last winter. The only investigation is into the Dec 18 party - the one they will confirm the PM did not attend. No investigations into others.
Number 10 junior staff were just told they will be made to carry the can for this scandal. If you feel this is unfair, here is a way to contact the Guardian securely. My DMs are also open.
Kevin Maguire
@Kevin_Maguire
No 10 refusing to say whether or not Cabinet Secretary Simon Case was at the party he’s now investigating.
Another untenable Downing Street position.
So did or didn’t he go?
Because if Case went, he can’t head an inquiry though he could supply a guest list.
BREAKING - The Christmas party inquiry Boris Johnson just announced won't bother looking at claims the Prime Minister himself spoke at a staffer's leaving do in the middle of lockdown
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/e2-80-98they-e2-80-99re-laughing-at-you-e2-80-99-labour-steps-up-pressure-on-boris-johnson-over-no-10-christmas-party-e2-80-93-uk-politics-live/ar-AARB1cq
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/voices-christmas-party-loophole-not-120023349.html
The PM's former press secretary had been one of the more disaster-prone members of a notoriously dysfunctional government.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10287453/The-spokeswoman-non-job-exposed-No10-Christmas-party.html
Footage last night emerged of Downing Street aides joking about branding their own Christmas party as a 'business meeting' to hide the fact it broke Covid laws. In response, social media was once again flooded with memes mocking Boris Johnson and No10. Mr Johnson was compared to Pinocchio and Mr Blobby while others highlighted the fact no government minister was put up for broadcast interviews to discuss the matter this morning.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10287097/Twitter-erupts-memes-video-shows-No10-staff-joking-illegal-festive-bash.html
Drive around Barnard Castle or have a chrimbo party? Stuff the proletariat!!
The Prime Minister (main at Downing Street) announced that working from home guidance will return, vaccine passports will become mandatory in large venues and the wearing of face coverings will be extended to theatres and cinemas. At the same time, Health Secretary Sajid Javid (right) unveiled the plans in the Commons, telling MPs that the changes were necessary because Omicron cases were doubling 'every two to three days' - and that by the end of the month they could exceed a million. He said the new rules would not be reviewed until January 5 - and the law imposing them would not run out until January 26. But Mr Javid was heckled, and even urged to resign, by a string of Tory MPs angry both at the return of economically damaging restrictions - and at the announcement coming on a day when Downing Street faced fury over an 'illicit' No 10 Christmas party at the height of restrictions last year. Economic experts also criticised the move ahead of the crucial pre-Christmas period, warning they could cost the economy £4 billion a month and 'easily' knock 2 per cent off the size of the economy. One Tory critic, Mark Harper, chairman of the anti-lockdown Covid Research Group, said: 'Why should people at home, listening to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State, do things that people working in No 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10290075/Tory-fury-Boriss-Plan-B-PM-orders-return-WFH-masks-Covid-passports.html
https://video.dailymail.co.uk/preview/mol/2021/12/08/9215107726305609261/636x382_MP4_9215107726305609261.mp4
Allegra Stratton, the former spokeswoman for the British PM, announced she had quit her £125,000 a year role offering a 'profound apology' for appearing to 'make light' of Covid rules. In emotional comments to journalists near her London home, Ms Stratton said: 'My remarks seemed to make light of rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey. That was never my intention. I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days.' In the video, Ms Stratton suggested she had not personally attended the party - quipping that she 'went home' instead. The move came hours after Boris Johnson mounted a desperate effort to put a lid on the chaos threatening to derail the response to the Omicron variant. But the government seems paralysed by inability to disentangle the video scandal from the looming Covid crisis. SAGE has warned ministers that Omicron hospital admissions could breach 1,000 a day in England by the end of the year without tougher restrictions to stem the spread of the super-mutant Covid variant. The powerful Covid O Cabinet subcommittee has been meeting to sign off on 'Plan B' curbs, although the prospect of the proposals being finalised by tonight seems to be receding.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10289259/Allegra-Stratton-QUITS-Number-10-Christmas-party-video-Tearful-spokeswoman-says-sorry.html
The row over last year's 'illicit' Downing Street Christmas party has rocked Westminster. But it emerged yesterday that the December 18 event may have been only one of as many as four Downing Street bashes held in the run-up to Christmas - at a time when the country was under stringent Covid restrictions. It was alleged there was a leaving do where the PM reportedly gave a speech (left), a quiz night (bottom right) and even a celebration in the Downing Street flat on the night Dominic Cummings left No10 (top right). There were also said to have been other parties in Whitehall departments. Here John Stevens and Harriet Line detail just what is known about what went on inside Downing Street while the rest of Britain faced swingeing virus rules.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10290025/Were-FOUR-parties-inside-Downing-Street.html