Gordon Robinson | Nothing empty about this symbolism

For those still unable to see how obsequiously sycophantic we are of Westminster and how damaging that is to psyche, morale and political maturity, this one’s for you.

On December 8, BBC reported that PM Boris Johnson apologised for a video showing senior No. 10 staff joking about holding a Christmas party a year ago. BoJo was quoted: “I was repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken.” What has he done? He ordered an “investigation” into exactly what happened. Sigh.

So what’s the tea?

A report in the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street last December was met with stout denial. Downing Street insisted that “COVID rules have been followed at all times”. A number of ministers appeared on media to repeat the denials. But a BBC source confirmed that there had been a party on 18 December, 2020, with “several dozen” people in attendance.

Here’s the good part.

The video for which BoJo apologised is of a rehearsal on December 22 for Downing Street’s proposed media briefings. In it (get this) the PM’s press secretary, Allegra Stratton, is asked by colleagues about reports of a party. She jokes: “This fictional party was a business meeting not socially distanced.”

Shades of ‘No Movement Day’?

Ms Stratton has offered her resignation. She said she would “regret the remarks for the rest of my days”. Sounds familiar?

Now PM asks for “an investigation” while Downing Street declined to comment on whether he attended it. He doesn’t know?

Fact: Any party at Downing Street would’ve breached government’s COVID guidelines, which, at the time, specifically provided: “Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party where that’s a primarily social activity and isn’t otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”

London was in Tier 3 (it went into Tier 4 on December 21). The law banned gatherings of more than two unless “reasonably necessary” for work. Additionally, there was a specific prohibition against organising an indoor gathering of more than 30.

A Doughty Street Chambers barrister expert on COVID regulations has opined that there may have been a theoretical legal loophole for government buildings because of the 1984 legislation used to prescribe the tier system. Another barrister tweeted that there needed to be an agreement with Westminster City Council for the regulations to apply in Downing Street. Council silent so far.

So maybe they’re “exempt”?

STILL VERY BRITISH

But this “party/business meeting” wasn’t alone. The BBC received multiple reports of another party on November 27 as a farewell for Cleo Watson, a former aide to Dominic Cummings. BoJo reportedly made a speech at that event and even mentioned how crowded it was. National lockdown was still in force. No indoor gatherings allowed.

Other parties/staff gatherings took place around that time. The BBC quotes Downing Street: “We accept it would have been better not to have gathered in this way at that particular time.”

The “other half” hasn’t been as lucky.

UK police statistics disclose that in England, between March 2020 and January 2021:

• 2,982 fines were issued for gathering inside a house or any indoor space in a Tier 3 area.

• 250 fines were issued for holding a gathering of over 30 people.

At the time, the police could shut down large parties. Fines of up to £10,000 were prescribed.

• An organiser of a party in Hugh Wycombe with about 200 attendees was fined last December.

• In December, over 100 people attended a Northampton party. The organiser was fined £10,000.

• In February, a woman was fined £10,000 for organising a birthday party in Ormskirk with over 30 attendees.

Obviously, we do NOT subscribe to empty symbolism. We’re still very British. This year, persons were arrested for cussing the PM on video or charged and fined massively for not wearing masks. Yet there has been silence on the legal fate of attendees of an infamous ‘No Movement Day’ extravaganza at an uptown hotel.

Guess we’ll be hanging on to Queenie for a while yet!

Peace and Love!

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com