Phillip Schofield has been left fuming at the recent reports of a Christmas party taking place at 10 Downing Street in 2020 while Covid restrictions were still in full force.
With senior government staff captured on video appearing to crack jokes about a gathering which went against strict Tier 3 restriction rules, Phil says he has been “taken for a mug”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former spokeswoman Allegra Stratton was seen cracking jokes about a “business meeting” which had “definitely no social distancing” while others laughed about “cheese and wine”.
Appearing on This Morning, Phil read out the restrictions in place in December 2020, which for London included people not being allowed to meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anyone they don’t live with.
(Image: ITV)
At the time, the rules included “any private garden” – with the rule of six still in place for parks and benches.
The host fumed: “You look at this and think, are you seriously taking us for a bunch of mugs?
“Let us put this another way, when we hear reports that there may be restrictions coming in, possibly slightly wider restrictions at Christmas, does the Prime Minister and his party and his government honestly assume any of us are going to take any notice?”
(Image: REUTERS)
Co-host Holly Willoughby then chimed in to offer a sympathetic standpoint to members of the public who had missed out on seeing family last Christmas.
She labelled the move “tone-deaf” as she ranted: “You think about what was going on at that time, and what the rest of the country were going through.
“The death rates were high, the infection rates were high, people were not seeing their loved ones, Christmas being cancelled. I mean it was so tone-deaf with what the rest of the country was going through.”
(Image: ITV)
The Prime Minister has denied there was any party last year – though fresh allegations have arisen from The Times that officials organised a Secret Santa and sent out invites, suggesting an event planned in advance.
Boris Johnson said “guidance was followed” amid increasing calls for his resignation.
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.
For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
