2021 marks the year of Tory Sleaze. Matt Hancock’s romantic interlude, Dominic Cummings’ rebellious whistleblowing, Dominic Raab’s ill-timed vacation and the Owen Patterson situation. Scandal after scandal. Here’s a new one: The Downing Street Christmas Party.

Many sacrifices were made by the whole country last year. Christmas was cancelled by the Government in order to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic from spreading. It has been called the ‘worst Christmas ever’ by many people. The elderly and vulnerable were forced to spend their Christmas alone. Care Home residents had to communicate to their loved ones through a plastic screen. Hospital patients were prevented from seeing their friends and family. The draconian measures were followed by (mostly) everyone to avoid further crisis. The most respected figure in Great Britain, The Queen, sat alone during the funeral of her husband – Prince Philip.

But on the 18^th December 2020, a party was held at Downing Street, with reports that ‘several dozen’ people were in attendance. At the time, the law states that no parties or social gatherings were to take place indoors. Any breakages would result in heavy fines. Since the story broke last week, courtesy of the Daily Mirror, the Prime Minister has categorically denied that a party ever happened and all guidelines were strictly followed. Other government ministers have followed this approach when questioned.

The situation seemed to be dying down slightly, until ITV News released a leaked video of Allegra Stratton, then-press secretary to the PM, joking with her aides about the party that happened two days prior. She was prepared to lie and label the party as a business meeting. Giggles echoed the Downing Street media room as they discussed possible excuses and lies to use if the public ever found out about the party.

Well, she’s not laughing now. Quite the opposite really. At 5pm today, she fought through her tears to announce her resignation. The Prime Minister states he was “furious” with the video and he would be instructing the Cabinet Secretary to thoroughly investigate “what may or may not have happened on December 18^th”. But this is far from enough.

The facts show that a party did happen, and Boris denying this is a downright lie – considering the party happened under Boris’ roof. The Prime Minister has been caught red handed. The fact that no government ministers were available for media interviews on the 1 year anniversary of the first Covid jab shows how scared the Tories are to be faced with further questions in relation to Party Gate.

Whilst lives were being taken away by this horrific virus, politicians were purposely ignoring the rules and laws they had created. Fines were being issued to party-goers across the country.

Boris is doing all he can to cover this scandal up, and the fact he is getting his ‘good buddy’ Simon Case to investigate the party shows that corruption is still bleeding in the Tory Government.

‘Unreserved apologies’ and half-baked investigations are not enough. This does not deliver justice to the many people who were alone during the most sociable time of the year. To the people who couldn’t spend their last Christmas surrounded by loved ones. Boris Johnson resigning is the least he can do to truly show how sorry he is to the British public.