Michael Gove has spoken out about the video which emerged showing Conservative Party members partying during the coronavirus pandemic, describing it as “terrible”.
The Levelling Up Secretary told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: “I want to apologise to everyone who, looking at that … will think these people are flouting the rules designed to protect us all.”
Mr Gove said the video was “terrible” and “unacceptable” but that it would not be right for him to say whether police should investigate.
The fact that “this party went ahead is indefensible”, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said.
It comes after the video was released by the Mirror, showing Tory Party staff dancing and joking about Covid restrictions during the height of the pandemic at a Christmas party.
The party is said to have taken place when parts of the UK were unable to socialise during lockdown.
Watch the first video of partygate as unseen footage emerges
It’s reported that there were around 24 attendees at the event, as the unseen footage shows two people twirling hand in hand past a sign saying: “Please keep your distance,” The Mirror has exclusively revealed.
🚨 | BREAKING: A first ever video of partygate has been leaked showing the Tories drinking, dancing and LAUGHING at breaking covid rules
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 17, 2023
“Are you filming this? As long as we’re not steaming that we’re like, bending the rules ahahah” pic.twitter.com/7Rd5E3PMzI
The pair are then seen falling over into a buffet table before knocking over glasses of wine while The Fairytale of New York plays in the background.
In the video, one man realises he is being filmed and says: “Oh Christ.”
Another asks: “Are you filming this?”
Someone else replies: “It’s for party, erm, party use.”
A man then laughs after announcing: “As long as we are not streaming that we’re, like, bending the rules.”
Michael Gove describes video of Tory Christmas party as ‘terrible’
Responding to a voter’s negative reaction to the video, Michael Gove told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: “Sorry, I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Paul on that day. I think if any member of your family is undergoing major surgery it’s undoubtedly traumatic.
“The fact that this was happening at the height of the pandemic when the virus was spreading and people were observing significant rules in order to make sure they protected others. The fact that this party went ahead is indefensible. The people who were there I’m sure feel contrite, I certainly hope they do.
“As I say there was a previous investigation into this and we now know more about it, but I can only say to Paul that I’m very, very sorry that there were people who were working in Government very hard on his behalf, not all of whom on every occasion will have made the right decision in policy terms, but all of the time we were thinking about how we could help Paul and others.
“There’s a Covid Inquiry ongoing at the moment which will look at the decisions that Government made. I think one of the most important things that all of us can do is to look back at the decisions that Government made and make sure that we’re better prepared if a future pandemic comes along, but for Paul and for others who are grieving, who suffered and who lost relatives or whose only family had to endure these rules, I can only apologise.”
Anas Sarwar calls for Rishi Sunak to withdraw entire honours list from Boris Johnson
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Rishi Sunak should be withdrawing the entire honours list from Boris Johnson.
He told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show: “I think that video is disgusting, it’s shameful, it’s going to anger people right across the country and it just feels like the Conservative Party wants us to relive that trauma day after day, week after week, and frankly I think people are getting disgusted by it.
“He should show leadership, he shouldn’t be so weak and he should withdraw that honours list and these people should apologise, it’s completely and utterly disgusting.”
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