Take a stroll to your local newsagent today and you’ll see Allegra Stratton’s crying face plastered on near every front cover. The images captured from the advisor’s tearful resignation statement yesterday are all anyone is sharing online, and her name is still topping Google Trends. It’s official: Allegra is the face of the Downing Street Christmas party scandal.
At first glance, it looks warranted. The video that emerged showing her making seemingly sarcastic remarks about the alleged party was a major coup for journalists seeking to confirm rumours of the Downing Street party taking place last December. It’s what carried the phrase ‘they’re actually laughing at us’, shared far and wide on social media this week.
People were rightly furious, and her resignation as an advisor to Johnson (she had already left her former press secretary role) was absolutely necessary. But at the same time, it’s worth questioning why she’s the only one to go thus far. If we let Allegra Stratton become the scapegoat for this incredible breach of public trust, we let all the other parties responsible off the hook.
While Allegra Stratton was forming her resignation statement, Boris Johnson was in the House of Commons scoffing at suggestions he should resign. When told it was his time to go by SNP Westminster group leader Ian Blackford, the Prime Minister laughed, stating ‘I will get on with the job. It is very sad that, when the public need clarity, the opposition parties are trying to muddy the waters over events, or non-events, of a year ago.'
Not only did he seem flabbergasted at the mere suggestion he is responsible for the misbehaviour of his party, but he also actually implied that those attempting to hold him to account were ‘playing politics’ and suggested the ‘events or non-events’ are irrelevant because it happened so long ago.
In fact, the information about Tory lockdown breaches is more relevant now than ever – because as we enter our second Christmas with lockdown rules, anxiety about cases rising and a public less compelled to follow said rules than ever, you have to ask…would any of this be occurring had there not been so many lockdown breaches from his own party members?
We know Dominic Cumming’s Barnard Castle trip inspired hordes of people to stop following government advice, then came Matt Hancock’s affair with the same result – and now this Christmas party. Are we surprised cases are rising when the government is setting this kind of example? You can practically see the anti-vaxxers squealing with delight, another notch to their conspiracy theory belt that the government is taking us all for fools.
Where are the sanctions for the politicians that attended the event?
And now, with reports that there were actually up to seven different events breaching lockdown from November-December last year, it seems ludicrous that Allegra is the only public official to resign so far. Why hasn’t MP Jacob Rees-Mogg faced the same fate after similarly joking about a lack of social distancing? Where are the sanctions for the politicians that attended the event? Where are the enquiries into the other potential parties?
According to the Prime Minister's spokesperson, the Cabinet Secretary will only be investigating the one incident of an alleged Christmas party on December 18, despite claims the Prime Minister himself attended a leaving do during the November lockdown where he even gave a speech. The Mirror reports that Number 10 refused to deny said event happened, but confirmed there will be no investigation.
Carrie Johnson, however, did deny that there was a party at her and Boris’ home last November as claimed by Boris Johnson's former righthand man Dominic Cummings. ‘Mrs Johnson has followed coronavirus rules at all times and it is categorically untrue to suggest otherwise,’ a spokesperson said.
But with so much new information coming out all the time about alleged parties, it’s telling that the government is only choosing to investigate the one that Allegra Stratton has already resigned over.
It seems as though making her the fall guy is Boris’ way out, but the public will not be fooled. Everyone who organised and attended those events should face an inquiry and appropriate consequences. If Boris refuses to take ownership of the breaches from his own politicians, the least he can do is ensure all those involved face equal repercussions for their actions.
Read More:
All Of The Leaked Videos And Latest Revelations About The Alleged Downing Street Christmas Party