The Speccie has just revealed the bombshell resignation of No. 10 policy chief Munira Mirza. She says she’s quitting over Boris’s Starmer Savile attack, resigned from her post after being by Boris’s side for over 14 years. Formerly one of Boris’s most loyal lieutenants…
In her resignation letter she wrote:
“I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice. There was no fair or reasonable basis for that assertion. This was not the usual cut and thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse. You tried to clarify your position today but, despite my urging, you did not apologise for the misleading impression you gave.”
Guido’s SpAd list has been updated accordingly…
In less than an hour members of the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee (PCC) will quiz the Metropolitan Police chief. The PCC has indicated it will make the most of Cressida Dick’s appearance by questioning her about the parties that have been held. The grilling could prove uncomfortable if she refused to explain why Downing Street’s parties were not being investigated.
London Assembly members Caroline Russell of the Greens and Caroline Pidgeon of the LibDems will lead the questions, after Tory Shaun Bailey quit as chairman of the Police and Crime Committee following revelations of his own “raucous” lockdown breaching party before Christmas.
The Metropolitan Police chief has come under pressure to investigate the parties given other parties held in London at the same time were investigated, and prosecutions followed. That the law is not being enforced equitably has become an issue for the under pressure police chief. Downing Street has been informed of the planned change of stance…
Following the Electoral Commission’s Tory fine this morning, Sam Coates has highlighted an evidential inconsistency which will significantly add to the difficulties facing the Prime Minister. In Lord Geidt’s Annual Report by the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interest he says of the investigation into the payments for the refurbishing of the Downing Street flat in February 2021:
For the credibility of this inquiry, I have tested the assertions of Lord Brownlow and the relevant political and government officials that at no point in the eight months until late February 2021, as media reports were emerging, was the Prime Minister made aware of either the fact or the method of the costs of refurbishing the apartment having been paid. I have spoken to these individuals in person; they have confirmed to me that these assertions are correct. In particular, Lord Brownlow behaved in a confidential manner consistent with his own experience of blind trusts. I have also spoken in similar terms to the Prime Minister who confirms that he knew nothing about such payments until immediately prior to media reports in February 2021. At that point, the Prime Minister immediately sought the necessary advice about his interests and, as a consequence, settled the full amount himself on 8 March 2021.
However in today’s Electoral Commission’s report into the refurbishing of the Downing Street flat they found (after serving a legal notice for production of evidence) a WhatsApp message from the Prime Minister to Lord Brownlow about payments from the year before:
“29 November 2020: the Prime Minister messaged Lord Brownlow via WhatsApp asking him to authorise further, at that stage unspecified, refurbishment works on the residence. Lord Brownlow agreed to do so, and also explained that the proposed trust had not yet been set up but that he knew where the funding was coming from.”
How can the funding have been via a blind trust with the PM unaware of the backers until media reports in February 2021, if he was texting the backer for cash in November the year before? This inconsistency is hard to reconcile…
Paymaster General Michael Ellis confirming the Cabinet Office will investigate three parties: Cleo Watson’s leaving drinks on November 27th, Gavin Williamson’s Department for Education party on December 10th, and the Downing Street staff party on December 18th. Leaving out the Lee Cain Downing Street leaving drinks – where Boris is alleged to have delivered a speech – on November 13th…
No party is complete without the perfect playlist, so here are Guido’s suggestions for the tunes Downing Street should rock along to over Christmas…
Downing Street’s Christmas party problem continues to ramp up, not least now it’s become more prominent in the public’s consciousness that there were multiple parties during the November and December lockdowns. Public anger is boiling and a senior head will have to roll. Who was responsible for the events?
There are three alleged drinks sessions contested during lockdown in Downing Street:
Boris reportedly said a few words at Lee Cain’s leaving event on November 13, if that event was accompanied by a few bottles of Downing Street claret it is arguably a leaving party. Incidentally, Boris was pinged and went into self-isolation on November 16…
Cleo Watson’s leaving drinks was on November 27, reportedly Boris came in and made a speech, mentioning how crowded it was in the room before leaving shortly afterwards. This doesn’t sound like an event compliant with the rules.
If, as the BBC reports, the December party was for the press team, it would have to have been authorised, or at least not vetoed, by then-director of communications James Slack. Since he has departed to The Sun it makes it more difficult for No. 10 to blame him for subsequently assuring the PM that no rules were broken. If, however, current director of communications Jack Doyle was at the party, and has been briefing it didn’t happen, that would make life very difficult for him. It was Max Blain, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesperson, who briefed the Lobby on Monday that there was no party.
Despite being the poster girl for this story, Allegra Stratton was not in charge of the Downing Street press operation at the time of these events, according to the leaked video she did not stay for the party in question and certainly is not responsible for briefing the PM or the Lobby about the nature or (non)-existence of the party this week. Ultimately the PM must take responsibility for his advisors and their actions. Boris’s errors at PMQs today, not least denying Lee Cain’s leaving do was a party on November 13 and being bounced by Starmer into agreeing to hand over any evidence to the Metropolitan Police and the CPS, has compounded his difficulties. The Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is to head an internal inquiry, though currently Downing Street can’t confirm or deny if he attended the party. Allegra resigning over a party for which she wasn’t responsible might not be the end of this…
N.B. This was written before Allegra Stratton resigned.
