UK PM faces another damaging 2020 Christmas revelation

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures during a press conference for the latest COVID-19 update in the Downing Street briefing room in central London on Dec 8, 2021. (ADRIAN DENNIS / POOL / AFP)

Boris Johnson, engulfed by a string of crises that have angered Tory lawmakers, could face more ire over a report he personally breached COVID-19 lockdown rules a year ago. 

The Mirror reported Saturday night that the UK prime minister hosted a Christmas quiz from his Downing Street residence on Dec 15, when London was under a “no mixing” order. 

The prime minister was pictured on screen with at least two aides as he read out questions to staff, who participated via computer from their offices at No 10 in teams of up to six people. 

A second survey, conducted for the Observer by Opinium, put Labor up by nine points, and showed that 57 percent of voters think Johnson should resign, up nine points from two weeks ago

London at the time was under regulations that banned social mixing between households. Christmas work gatherings were prohibited. 

The Mirror reported that staff had been invited weeks earlier to participate in a virtual quiz to raise money for charity.  

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Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi defended Johnson on Sunday, telling Sky News that no regulations were breached during the event involving various teams of co-workers. “It was a virtual quiz,” he said. 

Conservative MP Steve Baker, though, told Sky it was critical the country’s leaders also comply with the spirit of regulations. 

Johnson’s popularity has slumped in recent weeks after the botched handling of an ethics probe and as the government proposed harsh new “Plan B” restrictions to thwart a new surge in COVID-19 cases as well as the fast-spreading omicron variant.

Labour raced to a six-point lead over Johnson’s Conservative Party in a Savanta ComRes poll for the Daily Mail taken Dec 9-10, a nine-point swing from Dec 3-5. 

A second survey, conducted for the Observer by Opinium, put Labor up by nine points, and showed that 57 percent of voters think Johnson should resign, up nine points from two weeks ago. Johnson’s approval rating was at -35 percent, down from -21 percent two weeks ago. 

READ MORE: Competing pressures build on UK's Johnson as virus surges

Parliament is expected to vote this week on the latest restrictions and Johnson could face a rebellion of about 60 Tory lawmakers, according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity. 

The question of whether the string of controversies marks the beginning of the end for Johnson is now being openly debated, even in Tory-friendly papers.

Last week, Johnson faced allegations that a Christmas party was held at Downing Street in 2020 that breached COVID-19 restrictions at the height of the pandemic. Video was also leaked showing his staff making light of COVID-19 measures.

The prime minister has so far said he wasn’t involved in social gatherings at his residence last Christmas. In Parliament last week, Johnson said he’d been “repeatedly assured” that no COVID-19 rules were broken. 

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