Metropolitan Police have been asked to investigate the Christmas party held at Conservative headquarters last December when London was still under Covid curbs which banned households from mixing indoors.
Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party politicians on the London Assembly have written to commissioner Dame Cressida Dick to probe the 14 December gathering’s apparent breach of tier 2 rules.
Tory London Assembly member Shaun Bailey quit as chair of a police and crime committee after a photo emerged of his team partying at Tory HQ – but he remains on the assembly and a member of the committee.
Labour’s Leonie Cooper, Lib Dem Caroline Pidgeon and the Green Party’s Caroline Russell – all London Assembly members – said the drinks and buffet attended by 23 Tory staff must be investigated “swifty”.
In their letter to Dame Cressida, the opposition politicians wrote: “These latest images and reports regarding the alleged party at Conservative HQ seem to indicate a clear breach of the regulations … and it is essential these alleged breaches and all involved are fully investigated by the Met.”
On Mr Bailey’s attendance, they added: “It is essential that all those who breach the rules are held to account, not least of us who are in public life and should be setting an example for our country and our city at this difficult time.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said formal disciplinary action was taken against four CCHQ staff who were seconded to Mr Bailey’s campaign following the “unauthorised social gathering”.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps condemned scenes of Mr Bailey partying with staff last Christmas in a breach of coronavirus guidance at the time.
“That scene is absolutely unacceptable,” the cabinet minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It is unacceptable for people to be breaking the rules. That was not authorised by the Conservative Party.”
He added: “Those Conservatives who were on secondment from the party have already been disciplined and whatever further action needs to be taken will be taken.”
Although Mr Bailey is yet to apologise personally for the party, a campaign spokesperson said: “This was a serious error of judgement and we fully accept that gathering like this at that time was wrong and apologise unreservedly.”
Mr Bailey’s resignation as police and crime committee chair came shortly before The Mirror published a photograph of him and about 23 staff at a party with drinks and a buffet.
A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority Conservatives said Mr Bailey stepped down to prevent the “unauthorised social gathering” distracting from the committee’s work.
Cabinet secretary Simon Case has been tasked with investigating a series of gatherings held at Downing Street and the Department for Education in the run-up to last Christmas.
Although the Metropolitan Police have declined the chance to investigate government parties, Downing Street staff have been told not to “destroy any relevant information” during internal probe into gathering.
No 10 staff have been not to dispose of any potentially incriminating material and that any evidence which suggests possible law-breaking would be handed to police, according to ITV News.
