House party of more than 30 shut down by police night before Downing Street Christmas do

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that an inquiry will be held into the Downing Street Christmas party that may or may not have happened.

Mystery around the Christmas party shenanigans at 10 Downing Street on Friday, December 18, 2020 continue to remain murky with Government denials in the face of first hand reports adding to the confusion.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has asked the Prime Minister to come clean and be honest with the British public.

READ MORE:Covid Plan B may be ‘triggered in days’ with Brits told to work from home to save Christmas

On Wednesday, December 16 last year London was forced to move from Tier 2 to Tier 3 Covid restrictions, forbidding those living and working in the capital from mixing with other households in most settings.

Christmas parties across London were put on hold and everyone prepared themselves for very different festive celebrations that year.

Londoners faced Tier 3 restrictions are a rise in cases during December 2020

At the time of the announcement Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “It’s clear that the virus is accelerating in the wrong direction once again across London and the lives of Londoners are at risk.

“It would be such a tragedy to lose even more people to this disease when the vaccine is now being rolled out across our city.”

While most Londoners rolled up their sleeves and got on with the job in hand the Met Police and Transport for Londo n were forced to punish those that broke the rules with fines and sometimes arrest.

Stories of the Met Police breaking up house parties became more common as people struggled with the restrictions placed on their lives.

Only the day before the Christmas party was allegedly held at Downing Street where reportedly 30/40 people gathered to do secret Santa, eat and drink alcohol officers were out upholding laws put in place to protect the public.

On Thursday, December 17, 2020 an illegal party of more than 30 people was broken up by police in Kensington and Chelsea after neighbours reported loud music coming from a flat.

When police arrived at the flat, in Cadogan Gardens, near Sloane Square Underground station, they heard loud music and shouting with the door to the flat slightly open.

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Officers entered to find more than 30 people eating, drinking and playing music.

One man in the flat made himself known to police as the organiser of the party, and faced a £10,000 for hosting the gathering.

All of those who did not live at the address were told to go home by police.

At the time PC James Berridge-Cane from the Met’s Central West BCU, said: “I am astounded that people are putting themselves, their families and their friends at risk by hosting flat parties and possibly spreading this virus.

“This is a critical time for London. Our infection rate is sadly on the rise and we all need to pull together to drive down the rate of infection and protect our families and the NHS.”

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