Conservative quits police role after lockdown Christmas Party

December 14, 2021 - 8:46 pm

MyLondon reports:

Former Conservative mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey AM has quit as chair of the London Assembly’s policing body, following revelations he attended a rule-breaking Christmas party last year…
Calls for him to resign have become deafening after the Conservatives admitted last Wednesday that an event organised by Shaun Bailey’s then-mayoral campaign took place in the party’s Westminster HQ on December 14 last year – despite a ban on mixing between households in the capital.
Mr Bailey attended the party, held by his campaign team who were working in the basement at the time, the Times reported. Four of Shaun Bailey’s campaign staffers were subsequently disciplined by CCHQ.
The party was attended by No 10 aides and featured dancing and wine-drinking into the early hours despite tough rules against indoor socialising at the time. London was in Tier 2 restrictions.

The Daily Mirror, with yet another party scoop, triggered the resignation with a damning photo:

Our image shows 24 people crowded together in a room in the Tories’ Westminster HQ for an event organised by Shaun Bailey’s mayoral campaign … After he was approached by the Mirror tonight, Mr Bailey dramatically quit as chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee.

EXCLUSIVE: Extraordinary image of raucous Christmas party thrown by Tory aides at party HQ during coronavirus restrictions last year.

Party hats, drinks, an entire buffet – while we were all banned from meeting just one other person socially indoors.https://t.co/ykGoZZGckk
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) December 14, 2021

Test of basic competence.
You are running for Mayor of London. London is subject to restrictions on non-work household mixing. You attend a party. Someone gets a camera out.

Do you?
A/ Tell them to put it away.
B/ Pose for a photograph.

It’s a really tricky one.
— Duncan Weldon (@DuncanWeldon) December 14, 2021

What is it about Conservative candidates for Mayor of London?

Impressively quick response by the Lib Dem digital team:

That was quick pic.twitter.com/8kVAss5g5g
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) December 14, 2021

Meanwhile…

EXCLUSIVE: Bombshell email shows organisers planned for *days* for No 10 staff to attend the "virtual" Christmas quiz in person.

Senior official also told staff to "go out the back door" at the end of the night.

Cracking scoop from our @mikeysmith https://t.co/RNm78u4ylX
— Pippa Crerar (@PippaCrerar) December 14, 2021

UPDATE: There are now calls to block Shaun Bailey’s peerage over the party.

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