Allegra Stratton has quit as an advisor to the Prime Minister amid the fallout from the Downing Street Christmas party scandal.

Stratton offered her “profound apologies” in an emotional statement after footage emerged of her joking about a Downing Street Christmas party.

Allegra Stratton apologised for her remarks about the Christmas party as she made a tearful resignation statement outside her home.

Quitting her role as the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman for the Cop26 climate summit she said: “My remarks seemed to make light of the rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey.

“That  was never my intention. I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days and I offer my profound apologies to all of you at home for them.”

Questions have been asked about an alleged party at Downing Street last year on December 18.

Ministers are yet to explain how the alleged bash complied with the rules in place at the time, despite coming under pressure since an initial report in the Daily Mirror.

Boris Johnson has ordered an investigation into claims Downing Street staff broke lockdown rules by holding a Christmas party last year and told MPs he was “furious” about footage apparently showing aides joking about it.

The Prime Minister apologised “unreservedly” for the offence caused by the footage of his then-spokeswoman Allegra Stratton at a mock press conference.

Why has Allegra Stratton resigned?

 

 

Footage obtained by ITV News, shows Boris Johnson’s then press secretary Allegra Stratton and adviser Ed Oldfield, along with other aides, were filmed joking about a “fictional” Downing Street party in December 2020.

Ms Stratton is seen answering questions at a mock press conference on December 22 about a party the previous Friday – the date of the alleged Covid rule-breaking gathering which is said to have been attended by dozens of colleagues while social mixing indoors was banned in London under Tier 3 restrictions.

Mr Oldfield can be heard asking Ms Stratton: “I’ve just seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night, do you recognise those reports?”

Ms Stratton replied “I went home” before appearing to consider what the correct answer should be.

During the rehearsal, filmed as part of a subsequently-abandoned plan for Ms Stratton to lead televised press briefings, one aide is heard saying: “It wasn’t a party, it was cheese and wine.”

“Is cheese and wine all right? It was a business meeting,” Ms Stratton replied, to laughter in the room.

Ms Stratton then noted “this is recorded”, adding: “This fictional party was a business meeting … and it was not socially distanced.”