the story involving allegra stratton was - the story involving allegra stratton was interesting _ - theng allegra stratton was interesting for _ - the story involving allegra stratton was interesting for us _ - the story involving allegra stratton was interesting for us at _ - the story involving allegra stratton was interesting for us at itv. _ - the story involving allegra stratton was interesting for us at itv. she - was interesting for us at itv. she was interesting for us at itv. she was a _ was interesting for us at itv. she was a well— was interesting for us at itv. she was a well liked _ was interesting for us at itv. she was a well liked and _ was interesting for us at itv. she was a well liked and kind - was interesting for us at itv. she was a well liked and kind formerl was a well liked and kind former colleague — was a well liked and kind former colleague at _ was a well liked and kind former colleague at itv _ was a well liked and kind former colleague at itv news. - that was an interesting dimension when we are tackling the story- but we decided that we had to treat it as

if the lead story involving allegra stratton was the former colleagues very kind.— allegra stratton wasresting dimension when we are tackling the _ an interesting dimension when we are tackling the story- an interesting dimension when we are tackling the story for. we are tackling the story for that — we are tackling the story for that we _ we are tackling the story for that we decided _ we are tackling the story for that we decided that - we are tackling the story for that we decided that we - we are tackling the story forj that we decided that we had we are tackling the story for. that we decided that we had to treat it — that we decided that we had to treat it as— that we decided that we had to treat it as if— that we decided that we had to treat it as if she _ that we decided that we had to treat it as if she was _ treat it as if she was any other— treat it as if she was any other subject _ treat it as if she was any other subject in - treat it as if she was any other subject in the - treat it as if she was any i other subject in the report where _ other subject in the report where

there's allegra stratton explaining her resignation.also want to look at this story and what it tells us about the broader relationship between government and the press lobby. to help us do that we have katie perrier, director of communications for teresa may when she was prime minister. michael, political commentator for mail plus, and kitty donaldson, the political editor for bloomberg news. let's start with pippa from the mirror. it was your story which started all of this. when did you first hear that there had been a christmas party in downing street? well, i actually first heard rumours way back injanuary but they were just that. and i wasn't able to substantiate, i tried my best but didn't manage to get there. and about a month ago i got handed what i would describe as a metaphorical brown paper envelope which contained enough evidence in it for me to start asking questions again. so i then spent several weeks speaking to sources about whether a party had taken place and then once i'd established that it had, speaking to them abo

the story involving _ allegra stratton was the former the story involving i allegra stratton was veryhere was an interesting - dimension when we are tackling the story for that we decided that we had to treat it - as if she was any other subject in the report where we had - to maintain that professional separation from the story. i and imagine she was any other figure in numberten_ who perhaps we didn't go anywhere near as well. . we are human beings . and you have sympathies and you have - feelings for people. we don't like to see anyone suffering because of a story that we have broken. but ultimately, it's the public interest that we serve - asjournalist. katie, you managed these relationships from the other side when you were working with theresa may, how did you view them as friendship, as working relationship, as nothing more than something that served both sides? i think it was a working relationship. and i've known many of these journals before they answered number ten. it's a game of cat and mouse when they feel you're constantly trying to cover up the truth and we feel on the

allegra stratton making _ thanks for your time. allegra stratton making a _ thanks for your time.ns on whether the prime minister has been found to misled parliament which is a very serious allegation. we will bring you much more on that in the coming minutes. let's catch up with the weather. the storm is continuing to drift steadily north and east, and it's along the southern flank of the low still wear the strongest winds are, so south—west england and wales and interestingly that is probably where we will see the heaviest rain in the afternoon, so spiralling around the centre of the low we have this rash of showers, some of them merging togetherfor of showers, some of them merging together for long of showers, some of them merging togetherfor long spells of showers, some of them merging together for long spells of rain in southern and central in— might escape the showers and there will be some brief glimpses of brightness but a lot of between six and 9 when you factor the strength of the wind. in the first half of the night we should see a rational showers sweeping east, but th

- from this room, and allegra stratton's_ from this room, and allegra stratton's resignation- from thist a party took place despite the — further suggest a party took place despite the denials _ further suggest a party took place despite the denials but— further suggest a party took place despite the denials but we - further suggest a party took place despite the denials but we have . further suggest a party took place . despite the denials but we have also had serious — despite the denials but we have also had serious allegations _ despite the denials but we have also had serious allegations about - had serious allegations about parties — had serious allegations about parties on _ had serious allegations about parties on three _ had serious allegations about parties on three other- had serious allegations about i parties on three other occasions had serious allegations about - parties on three other occasions so i parties on three other occasions so i want _ parties on three other occasions so i want to— parties on three other occasions so i want to ask— parties on three other occasion

allegra — apologies to all of you at home. allegra stratton also resigned.edly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party, and that's no covid rules were broken, and that is what i have been repeatedly assured. haifa. were broken, and that is what i have been repeatedly assured.— been repeatedly assured. now, this is a shift in — been repeatedly assured. now, this is a shift in language _ been repeatedly assured. now, this is a shift in language from - been repeatedly assured. now, this is a shift in language from explicit l is a shift in language from explicit denials to referencing assurances from others, but on the fundamentals of the number ten message, they remain. no party, no breaking of the rules and the opposition doesn't buy it. ~ ., , ., rules and the opposition doesn't buy it.~ ., , rules and the opposition doesn't buy it. millions of people now think that the prime _ it. millions of people now think that the prime minister - it. millions of people now think that the prime minister was i it. millions of people now think. that

and allegra stratton, who led that mock downing street press briefing, has quit as the prime minister'sdviser. to all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry. and this afternoon, i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. the government's facing criticism from members of the public. igoto i go to problems on a daily basis where i need to follow these rules and these are downing street had been having a whale of a time. a warning from the government's scientific advisers — hospitalisations caused by the omicron variant may reach 1000 a day in england by end of the year unless extra restrictions are put in place. meanwhile, the coronavirus booster vaccine campaign gets ramped up even further. now anyone over a0 in england can book theirjab. the new face of germany — 0laf scholz is sworn in as chancellor as angela merkel bows out after 16 years in office. in the past few minutes it's been confirmed that borisjohnson will lead a downing street press conference at 6pm tonight. this afternoon — his advise

"what is the answer," allegra stratton asks.sible for these growling sounds discovered underwater in indonesia. growling. the taliban's acting deputy education minister has told the bbc that girls would not be allowed to attend secondary school in afghanistan until a new education policy was approved. meanwhile, the un is warning of a rapid reversal of the rights of women and girls since the taliban took power four months ago. sana safi has this report. this is what most girls�* high schools look like since the taliban took control, and it�*s having a devastating impact. we have spoken to dozens of teachers and girls across a third of afghanistan�*s provinces to understand how their lives have changed. translation: i am 16 years old. not being able to study feels like a death penalty. i wanted to become a surgeon, but i�*m hopeless now. these days, i�*m doing nothing, i�*m lost. translation: i'm 17 years old. when i see my clothes and booksjust sitting in my cupboard without being used, i get very upset. i was dreaming of becomi

this was a practice press conference for allegra stratton, just hired as the prime minister�*s pressistmas party last friday night. do you recognise those reports? i went home! in a video obtained by itv news, laughing in response to questions from an adviser, ed oldfield, about the downing street drinks. what�*s the answer? i don't know! is cheese and wine ok! at the time when socialising for everyone was meant to be strictly off—limits. this fictional party was a business meeting. and it was not socially distanced! the fictional party was a business meeting, she says, laughing about the office that was making the rules, not following them. in the real world outside numberio, pubs had been closed, socialising was strictly off—limits as covid took hold again. lockdown was back. there were fines for holding parties. and on that day, 562 people lost their lives to the virus. three, two, one! the problem for boris johnson 12 months on was notjust that a few dozen of his staff got together, nor the laughter about it now revealed, but that all week he hasn�*t been straight about exactly w

the video, obtained by itv news, shows the then director of communications allegra stratton doing a mock press conference three days before christmas. downing street has again insisted there was no christmas party and covid rules have been followed at all times, but the labour leader says the prime minister must tell the truth and apologise. they're treating the public with contempt. the prime minister needs to step up, accept what happens and apologise. there is fury in westminster tonight, at number 10's laughter about covid rules as the rest of the country locked down. also on the programme tonight: the united kingdow now has more confirmed cases of the covid omicron variant than anywhere else in europe, with more than 100 confirmed cases in the past 2a hours alone. the government defends itself after claims its evacuation of people from afghanistan was chaotic and dysfunctional. and two hours to go until the ashes get under way as england take on australia in brisbane. and coming up in the sport on the bbc news channel, kyle walker sees red as manchester city lose their final group g

the mail also teacher columnists on allegra - teacher columnists on allegra stratton who was in thatery tearfully resigning. a tearful picture of her on the cover of the mail. why is it always the woman, do you think it�*s fair question in this situation? i fair question in this situation? i think it's a fair question because so far— think it's a fair question because so far she — think it's a fair question because so far she is the only one who seems to have _ so far she is the only one who seems to have faced — so far she is the only one who seems to have faced any kind of repercussions from this. she wasn't the only— repercussions from this. she wasn't the only one — repercussions from this. she wasn't the only one of the room and that video _ the only one of the room and that video that— the only one of the room and that video. that doesn't necessarily mean that she _ video. that doesn't necessarily mean that she was — video. that doesn't necessarily mean that she was wrong, she was actually the one _ that she was wrong, she was actually the one making comments and laughing but s

on the subject of resignations, allegra stratton has resign over the leaked briefing video.tor of communications jack doyle, should he resign? he street director of communications jack doyle, should he resign? he has not to look jack doyle, should he resign? he has got to look carefully _ jack doyle, should he resign? he has got to look carefully at _ jack doyle, should he resign? he has got to look carefully at his _ got to look carefully at his position. if the information about him attending the party is accurate it seems to be obvious that he has got to consider his position. obviously the facts are evolving, we are looking at more information. we are looking at more information. we are talking not about one party but are talking not about one party but a number of parties. remember, this is its own so hard, this was a time when all of the rest of the public were playing by the rules. many people did not see loved ones over christmas. some people did not see their loved ones ever again. for them to learn that whilst they were going through that there were parties going o

the prime minister's former spokesperson, allegra stratton, resigned after appearing to joke about there are claims of more gatherings at number ten whilst the uk was in lockdown. iain watson reports. three, two, one... plan b, with its new restrictions in england, is on its way just before christmas. but questions are still persisting over what happened last christmas behind downing street's black door. at a mock press conference, the prime minister's then spokeswoman appeared to be making light of some of the restrictions on social gatherings. this fictional party was a business meeting and it wasn't socially distanced. but yesterday, the laughter had turned to tears, as she apologised and resigned. 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. will more staff follow suit? the country's most senior civil servant is now looking into what happened on december the 18th last year, the day that downing st

one of the aids that was laughing, allegra stratton, emerged from her house today.o tears. the party would not have been her decision, and she has paid with herjob. mt; her decision, and she has paid with her 'ob. g _, , her decision, and she has paid with her'ob. g , , her decision, and she has paid with her 'ob. g _, , , ., ., ~ herjob. my comments seemed to make liuht of herjob. my comments seemed to make li . ht of the herjob. my comments seemed to make light of the rules _ herjob. my comments seemed to make light of the rules that _ herjob. my comments seemed to make light of the rules that people _ light of the rules that people were doing everything to obey. that was never my intention. i regret those remarks for the rest of my days, and i offer my profound apologies to all of you at home, to all of you that lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry. and this afternoon i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. thanks for your time. there is simply no chance her exit will be the end of qu

reboot big died of a heart attack after completing his 1,000th peloton bike ride with instructor allegraears in the ad with mr. big, the actor, chris knob. peloton struck back touting the benefits of indoor cycling with ryan reynolds' advertising agency mountain which recently acquired his maximum effort advertising arm. reynolds also does the voice-over let's go over how the ad came together with representatives from peloton thank you for being with us. it was a brilliant ad. how, mark, did you pull this together so fast as i understand it, you didn't know this was coming until the episode was dropped. >> absolutely. yeah so maximum effort -- mountain software company and maximum effort basically is a division as an agency we love dara we met her recently and put this together in 48 hours i can let dara talk more about it she was will on set making part of the -- you know, part of the team making this happen. >> dara, how did you get chris nnoff and jess king, an loyee of peloton, she was the instructor who plays allegra in the show. how did you get them so quickly? was it sarin dip to

can i just ask about the resignation of the advisor, allegra stratton, which most people watching this i think have not heard of, but they have seen her crying and making apologies, which many people i the u.k. may think sounds rather hollow? what would it take for johnson to resign? >> we have an electionoming thursday in a very safe seat. no structure, slap bang in the middle of england. -- north rupture -- north shropshire. it also belong to the mp who had to resign because they felt all of the regulations about lobbying, were found guilty of breaking the rules on parliamentary silence. i think if they were to lose that deep, you would start to see pressure mount even more. politicians like johnson, and there are not many politicians like johnson, when they reach that tipping point, things can change very, very quickly. i'm not going to say he's about to be deposed before christmas or anything, but once the tide turns, i think things can change very rapidly indeed, and there is evidence finally that public opinion seems to be turning against the government and turning against mr. jo

taking the public forfools was starmer, prime minister taking the public for fools was up a picture of allegradeo. a very, very tearful apology. centre of that video. a very, very tearful apology-— tearful apology. what did you make of that? it was _ tearful apology. what did you make of that? it was a _ tearful apology. what did you make of that? it was a tearful _ tearful apology. what did you make of that? it was a tearful apology - of that? it was a tearful apology and it did feel heartfelt to me as well. she very much did regret her words. i think what is interesting is she does seem to be the only money of the stake in the fall for this so far. if you see the video there were numerous people in the room all contributing to this mock press conference was up and she alluded that she wasn't potentially at the party even if she might have known that it may not or may have gone on. that seems very strange to me and maybe more will come out when we have this investigation from the cabinet secretary. the prime minister has said that if they have been breaches by sapp and there will been breache

ros: allegra stratton, now an advisor, was next. >> seemed to make light of the rules that everyone wasng, that was never my intention. i will regret those remarks from the rest of my days and my profound apologies. ros: she also resigned. her resignation is about the video but prime minister johnson response doesn't match the allegationsp.m. johnson: i am assured that there was no party and no covid rules were broken and that's what i've been repeatedly assured. ros: this is a shift in language from explicit denials to referencing insurance -- assurances from others, but the message remains no party, no breaking of the rules, and the opposition doesn't buy it. >> millions of people think the prime minister was taking them for fools. but they were lied to. ros: the focus on the party remains. tim montgomery asks of those attended, what were they thinking? we don't know yet but we know the party happened and we are learning more. "the times" reports it is understood to have been organized by a whatsapp group asked to bring secret santa presence and some were asked to wear christmas jumpe

obviously lots of people who feel slightly aggrieved at the prime ministers response and they actually allegrarson who has resigned so far and according to the leaked video footage is also one of the only people we know who did not attend the party on the 18th of december. really, they are wondering if they are good to be thrown under the bus as well. that's quite helpful for a journalist because it means that people are still coming out and talking to us. the sundays will perk through quite difficult. dominic cummings who has an axe to grind with the prime minister said he thought there was photographic evidence from some of these parties and that would corroborate allegations that they broke covid rules despite the government and the prime ministers insistence that absolutely no covid rules were broken at any point in the last 18, 19 months. particularly across the three locked out. so i imagine it will be quite difficult for the prime minister. it's notjust the public he has to keep on site, sometimes the public and conservative mps feel differently. and on this issue they are very frustrat

former downing street adviser allegra stratton resigned on wednesday after an internal video from one year ago became public. in the video she and other staffers joked about how they responded, when reporters asked about a christmas party at number 10 in defiance of the country's lockdown. she said many people are understandably upset by the video. cnn's scott mclean joins us from london. scott, one resignation. the big question now, will there be other political casualties here? take us through the latest reaction to this controversy. >> reporter: kim, yeah, lett me put this in plain english. this is the british prime minister calling for an investigation whether or not a party, social gathering took place at his own home address. that is the seemingly ridiculous scenario playing out in british politics right now. why is this so controversial? it's because the date of that alleged party, december 18, 2020, was at a time when indoor gatherings were out lawed in london, and the very next day british prime minister announced that all of england would be under the same restrictions banni

amy: allegra love, we will continue to cover this issue that is so critical, aggression attorney withaso immigration collaborative. speaking to us from santa fe, new mexico i'm at today. as we continue on the issue of how u.s. deals with immigration, this is democracy now! i am amy goodman. the network of ice jails across the united states is vast and we turn now from new mexico to georgia, where immigrants held at the irwin county detention center were held in solitary confinement after they protested their conditions during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic. their fight is the focus of a new documentary called "the facility." this is the trailer. >> you're asking for these additions to be released. close i have already ruled on that. >> how is everybody doing? >> i am really scared i'm gog to die. >> this is what wcame up with to try to protect ourselves. >> eight women in her despair. >> you're recordinghis video in fear. >> i have to speak out. looks describe the experience as torture. >> they hit me. can you see? >> can you just keep itunning in >> whatave you heard? a

features the follow from the downing street christmas party video is the adviser to the prime minister allegragns. the metro also leads with that same story, headline, pm taking the public for fools. that same story, headline, pm taking the public forfools. as he faces more calls to quit over the alleged rule breaking christmas party at number ten. the backlash features on the front page of the telegraph. tonight the prime minister told millions of people he must work from home but that they can still go to christmas parties. and a festive feature on the sun as they describe borisjohnson as the grinch as the coronavirus mass. let's start off with the guardian. prime minister triggers covid plan b as party scandal and calls number two tying the two stories together. the christmas party and the plan b announcement for the one conservative mp says is accused the prime minister of a diversionary tactic. in other words, and announcing plan b as a way of pushing the christmas party so i got down the news agenda. yes. pushing the christmas party so i got down the news agenda.— down the news agenda. y

this was a practice press conference for allegra stratton, just hired as the prime minister's press spokesperson reports on twitter that there was a downing street party last friday night. i went home! in a video obtained by itv news, laughing in response to questions from an adviser, ed oldfield, about the downing street drinks. what's the answer? i don't know! is cheese and wine ok! at a time when socialising for everyone was meant to be strictly off—limits. this fictional party was a business meeting. and it was not socially distanced! the fictional party was a business meeting, she says, laughing about the office that was making the rules, not following them. in the real world outside numberio, pubs had been closed, socialising was strictly off—limits as covid took hold again. lockdown was back. there were fines for holding parties. and on that day, 562 people lost their lives to the virus. three, two, one! the problem for borisjohnson 12 months on was notjust a few dozen of his staff got together, nor the laughter about it now revealed, but that all week he hasn't been straight about exactl

shows a mock downing street news conference, hosted by the prime minister's then press secretary allegraatton. a saudi man suspected of involvement in the murder of the saudi journalist jamal khashoggi has been arrested at a paris airport. he faces extradition to turkey. mr khashog—ji, was a prominent critic of the saudi regime and wrote for the washington post. the government has apologised to the victims of the grenfell tower fire at the public inquiry. the apology came as it admitted a series of failings in overseeing building safety in the years leading up to the disaster that claimed 72 lives. our correspondent tom symonds reports. the aftermath of worst fire in british history. within a day the government announced a public inquiry into this disaster. now, nearly four and a half years later, there is an apology. the department is deeply sorry for its past failures in relation to the oversight of the system that regulated safety in the construction and refurbishment of high rise buildings. it apologises to the bereaved residents and survivors of the fire for such failures. but those

so ultimately he will stay in post, but as we know the previous spokesperson allegra stratton resignedntjack doyle is as much as anything else, but at the moment jack doyle is staying as much as anything else, but at the momentjack doyle is staying on, and sources say we are not expecting any further imminent changes in downing street staffing. further imminent changes in downing street staffing-— street staffing. curious, isn't it? so many more — street staffing. curious, isn't it? so many more questions - street staffing. curious, isn't it? so many more questions but - street staffing. curious, isn't it? i so many more questions but thank street staffing. curious, isn't it? - so many more questions but thank you very much, iain watson, such a busy evening, we must leave it there for now. in relation to covid, this is all bunched up with covid of course, scotland's first minister nicola sturgeon has warned that the country is facing a potential tsunami of new covid infections. she said the spread of the 0micron variant to prevent —— presented a very severe challenge and it is likely t

one of the aids who was laughing, allegra stratton, emerged from her house today.se jokes turning to tears. denying the party won't have been her decision and she paid with herjob. my remarks seemed to make light of the rules. people were doing everything to obey them. 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 those at home, all of you who lost loved ones and endured intolerable loneliness and struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry. and this afternoon, i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. thank you for your time. no chance her exit would be the end of questions to borisjohnson. at lunchtime, he started with an apology and announced an investigation. i understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing number ten staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures. and i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, mr speaker. because i was also furious to see t

one of the aids who was laughing, allegra stratton, emerged from her house today. jokes turning to tears. denying the party won't have been her decision and she has paid with herjob. 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 those at home, all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry. and this afternoon, i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. thanks for your time. yet there's simply no chance her exit would be the end of questions to borisjohnson. at lunchtime, he started with an apology and announced an investigation. i understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing number ten staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures. and i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, mr speaker. because i

one of the aids who was laughing, allegra stratton, emerged from her house today.ning to tears. denying the party won't have been her decision and she paid with herjob. my remarks seem to make light of the rules. people were doing everything to obey them. that was never my intention. i will regret those remarks for the rest of my days and i offer my profound apologise to all of those at home, all of you who lost loved ones and endured intolerable loneliness and struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry. and this afternoon, i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. thank you for your time. no chance her exit would be the end of questions to borisjohnson. at first, he started with an apology and announced an investigation. i understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing number ten staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures. and i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, mr speaker. because i was also furious to see that clip. and mr s

a mock press conference where the prime minister's then official spokesperson, allegra stratton, and fictional party was a business meeting. and it was not socially distanced. miss stratton swiftly resigned. 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. claims of more potentially rule—breaking gatherings came out. i understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing number 10 staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures. and i can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, mr speaker. because i was also furious to see that clip. the prime minister, the government, spent the week telling the british public there was no party, all guidance was followed completely. millions of people now think the prime minister was taking them for fools and that they were lied to. then voters got a say in 0wen pater

shows a mock downing street news conference, hosted by the prime minister's then press secretary allegratratton. australia hasjoined the united states�* diplomatic boycott of the winter olympics in beijing next year. prime minister scott morrison said they will not send officials or politicians to the games, adding that china had failed to respond to australian concerns about its human rights record. now on bbc news: hardtalk. hello. welcome to hardtalk, i'm stephen sackur. as 2021 nears its end pakistan's leaders may be reflecting on the wisdom of that old adage about being careful what you wish for. islamabad has long aided and abetted the afghan taliban and now they are back in power. america's regional power is diminished, china, pakistan's close ally is still making massive investments. so does this all add up to good news for pakistan? well, not necessarily. my guest is national security advisor moeed yusuf. just how secure is pakistan? moeed yusuf in islamabad, welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's a pleasure to have you on the show. it's fair to say it's been a tumul

edward on sunday is be no official comment from china's government's asking my releases become more allegra international moment. probably the biggest or either to try and her rescue or artist people in culture need to have a political voice. my art isn't overtly political in any obvious way. i hope it is in all sorts of underhand ways. at 2015, i sound a journey into making documentary, so by refugees, you're syria to them as we we and i decided together to make a walk across london. and we walked in sympathy as if we were in refugee status ourselves. i narrow sanker artist, esa, some specialist, but the railroad ha, clear rationale, piano emotions. so this many shows can be discussed. we identify in this question of how a culture can bring change that gives us that kind of brotherhood ah and ish. yes, my dear friend. i'm a happy to seal and do you always have this ability to use the your media language to on to have this a shocking quality to, to provide the kind of condition which is quite a is for audience. tell me what is behind is work. i feel that i truly, truly have nothing to say,

stratton's resignation todav, — allegra stratton's resignation today, and we felt that we only wanted were participants but perhaps not particularly active participants of the rehearsal that day, all they had made _ the rehearsal that day, all they had made interventions that we didn't feel made interventions that we didn't feet met — made interventions that we didn't feel met that test of being in the public— feel met that test of being in the public interest. and feel met that test of being in the public interest.— public interest. and the final . uestion public interest. and the final question we've _ public interest. and the final question we've seen - public interest. and the final question we've seen being . public interest. and the final i question we've seen being asked a lot is whether this was filmed off a screen, or whether it is actually the original video.— screen, or whether it is actually the original video. that's something that i can't the original video. that's something that i can't get _ the original video. that's something that i can't get into _ the original vide

this was a practice press conference for allegra stratton, just hired as the prime minister's press spokespersonve just seen reports on twitter that there was a downing street christmas party last friday night. do you recognise those reports? i went home! in a video obtained by itv news, laughing in response to questions from an adviser, ed oldfield, about the downing street drinks. what's the answer? i don't know! is cheese and wine 0k! at the time when socialising for everyone was meant to be strictly off—limits. this fictional party was a business meeting. and it was not socially distanced! the fictional party was a business meeting, she says, laughing about the office that was making the rules, not following them. in the real world outside numberio, pubs had been closed, socialising was strictly off—limits as covid took hold again. lockdown was back. there were fines for holding parties. and on that day, 562 people lost their lives to the virus. three, two, one! the problem for boris johnson 12 months on was notjust that a few dozen of his staff got together, nor the laughter about it now re

yesterday, allegra stratton, a number ten aide shown in a video joking about a christmas party, resignedks for the rest of my days and i offer my profound apologies to all of you at home. others in the video, like ed oldfield, the aide who asked the question, remain in theirjobs as the political fallout continues. are you planning to resign? the bbc has had reports that some number ten staff attended a gathering with carriejohnson in the downing street flat on november 13 last year, but this has been denied by her spokeswoman. 0n the 13th and 27th of november, the bbc has been told there were informal leaving drinks for staff at number ten. and conservative sources have confirmed that four members of the party's head office staff working on the london mayoral campaign were disciplined for taking part in an unauthorised social gathering on december 14th last year. nobody is above the law, it cannot be one rule for everybody else and one rule for the prime minister and downing street. nobody is above the law. it cannot be one rule for everybody else and one rule for the prime minister and

and it was not socially distanced — and allegra stratton who led that mock downing street press briefing quit as the prime minister's adviser. to all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and he struggled with your businesses, i am truly sorry, and this afternoon, i am offering my resignation to the prime minister. borisjohnson has announced that he's strengthening coronavirus restrictions in england implementing the government's "plan b" to help slow the spread of the omicron variant. it comes as the prime minister apologised for a video that showed his staffjoking about a christmas party last december and ordered an inquiry led by the cabinet secretary. but speaking to mps, he said he had been "repeatedly assured" that there was no party. tonight the metropolitan police says it will not investigate the allegations due to an "absence of evidence." more on that in a moment but let's take a look at those new restrictions for england introduced by the government. from friday tenth december face masks will be compulsory in most public venues, including theatres and

allegra stratton footage joking about downing street party.op? pleasure. genuine pleasure. because it had come from itv, which did not have a great track record of real scoops like that. and it was a real utterly brilliant scoop and a very meaningful one. and we were envious, but we were thrilled. we didn't celebrate very much because we had access to it, but no, it was pleasure that our building, which houses a lot of tv channels, had done something that the bbc must�*ve been, well, flapping their ears about. there's been a lot of talk about old guard changing. andrew marr is leaving the bbc, adam boulton leaving sky. andrew neil has had his own well—publicized exit from broadcasting for the moment. what do you make of all these big news beasts going all at once? i think the big thing is to say how old are we? and we look at the age, the ages that we emerged from in many ways, the naive youthful period of the media's development, in which there was, we were all finding our way, and the media today, obviously, is quite different from the very

allegra stratton laughs says i went home... the government. we are eight days into it. . . the government. we are eight days into it. , , ., ,., , into it. yes, it is. the reason this video, into it. yes, it is. the reason this video. of— into it. yes, it is. the reason this video, of course _ into it. yes, it is. the reason this video, of course commits - into it. yes, it is. the reason this video, of course commits a - into it. yes, it is. the reason this i video, of course commits a fictional scenario, but it's a pretend press conference, but the notable things here is that this happened on the 22nd of december, tuesday the 22nd of december, this practice press conference, but the date that this party is said to have happened a number ten was the 18th of december, which would have been the friday night before that. so, the dates sort of matchup, so that is sort of one of the issues that's come out of the release of this video. the other thing is, you know, that bbc spoke to somebody earlier this month who said they were at t

those paid to advise them but the buck has to stop somewhere and there are people who feel that, allegratime ago, people think she has been thrown in front of the bus for this, i'm not sure about that but i think it is right she resigned and i know that resignations have been offered from other senior aides as well and the prime minister must have the best people around him serving him. there are some very — people around him serving him. there are some very good _ people around him serving him. there are some very good people in downing street who work very long, hard hours, making sure the prime minister has all of the information and advice he needs to do hisjob but i don't think it is necessarily disloyal to borisjohnson to say that there isn't a problem within downing street at the moment and some people think he is part of course. it some people think he is part of course. , some people think he is part of course. , ., ,. ., some people think he is part of course. , ., ,. ., ., ,, course. it is fascinating that steve baker is relaunching _ course. it is fascinating that steve baker

this was a practice press conference for allegra, this hired as the prime ministers chris spokespersons spokesperson. i went home. in the video _ ministers chris spokesperson. i went home. in the video attained - ministers chris spokesperson. i went home. in the video attained by - ministers chris spokesperson. i went home. in the video attained by itv . home. in the video attained by itv news, home. in the video attained by itv news. laughing — home. in the video attained by itv news, laughing in _ home. in the video attained by itv news, laughing in response - home. in the video attained by itv news, laughing in response to - home. in the video attained by itv news, laughing in response to a i news, laughing in response to a question from an adviser about the downing street drinks. is cheese and wine 0k at a time and socialising for everyone was meant to be strictly off—limits? it for everyone was meant to be strictly off-limits?— strictly off-limits? it was a business — strictly off-limits? it was a business meeting. - strictly off-limits? it was a business meeting. it - strictly of