our political correspondent helen catt reports.tmas tree is up outside number 10, the lights are on. but it's what happened last festive season that is still raising questions. claims that a party was held inside, which an attendee told the bbc involved food, drink and a several dozen people. it happened, they said, on friday, december the 18th. four days later, the then press secretary to the prime minister had a practice press briefing, with aides pretending to be journalists. there was a downing street christmas party on friday night. do you recognise those reports? i went home. itv news got hold of this video of it, with the aides joking about a party. is cheese and wine all right? this is recorded. this fictional party was a business meeting. and it was not socially distanced. on that day there were severe restrictions in place on social mixing. on the day of the alleged party, 514 deaths of people with covid were reported. one of those who died that day was jackie's mother beryl. i think it's totally reprehensible, actually.

thank you very much, that was helen catt. goodj much, that was helen catt.ake of what has taken place? there has been a real change in mood, hasn't won an astonishing change in mood and what has been fascinating has been the language that labour has been using since the start of the problems for the prime minister on this sleaze front, in terms of owen paterson, the language that labour has been using and angela rayner is probably the best poserin angela rayner is probably the best poser in parliament borisjohnson, certainly gets under his skin and makes her point very well is that kind of language about one rule for them, one rule for the rest of us. you have been taking us for fools them, one rule for the rest of us. you have been taking us forfools is another phrase they use, the joke is over, you hear that language reflected back a lot in terms of interviews with people who are not interviews with people who are not in the westminster bubble. there is a serious cut through, when you have ant and dec criticising you two nights in a row, this is what peopl

i'm joined now by helen catt, our political correspondent in westminster. en any clear clarity as to why they don't think it is necessary to announce now the moves that are coming into force so soon after christmas in other parts of the uk? there's been no formal announcement this evening, but sources at number 10 suggest that at the moment, they stood on the beaded is quite fair to justify more restrictions. we know the prime minister has had earlier in the week that he will not bring it restrictions before christmas. thinking this evening in westminster is that we are problematical to hear anything more before christmas about what might happen afterwards, although the big caveat to all of this is that they are watching the data constantly, to see if anything changes and ministers have said that if they think they need to act and bring in more restrictions, and they will do that. so it is a sort of watching and waiting at the moment, but at the moment they just don't think they did is there to bring them in yet a. the think they did is there to bring them i

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.k now to professor ravi gupta from the university of cambridge. he advises the government, as a member of nervtag — the new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group. he's speaking to us today in a personal capacity. thank in a personal capacity. you very much forjoining us omicron, thank you very much forjoining us. omicron, tell us what you know that encourages year and in what is your budget. the encourages year and in what is your budaet. , ., ., ., budget. the things that are worried at -- worrying. _ budget. the things that are worried at -- worrying, when _ budget. the things that are worried at -- worrying, when it _ budget. the things that are worried at -- worrying, when it was - budget. the things that are worried at -- worrying, when it was first . at —— worrying, when it was first detected there the serious concern because of the fact that it was exhibiting mutations that we had known were associated with registered vaccine efficacy and indeed that has been bor

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.es of the uk health security agency said there was a glimmer of christmas hope in yesterday's findings but warned it was still early days. critically, what we are seeing is omicron largely in young people and it is onlyjust now cases are starting to tip into the older population, particularly 60 and 70 plus year old. there are a number of different reasons why we need to continue to look at this data further. let's talk to our political correspondent iain watson. the question everyone keeps asking, will there be more measures in the next week? i think there is a meeting on monday, parliament would have to be recalled if there is a big change. have to be recalled if there is a big change-— have to be recalled if there is a big change. that's right, if there is an bi big change. that's right, if there is any big change, _ big change. that's right, if there is any big change, there - big change. that's right, if there is any big change, there would l big change. that's right, if there - i

helen catt reports.micron variant of coronavirus and the speed at which it is spreading that ministers say has left them with little choice but to move england to plan b. we estimated _ to move england to plan b. - estimated that it spreads, the doubling rate is between 2.5 and three days which means the number of community infections doubling in that time and what that means is if it carried on at that rate you could have a million infections through community transmission by the end of the month. but community transmission by the end of the month. �* ., , ., ~ , the month. but some conservative mps don't think it — the month. but some conservative mps don't think it is — the month. but some conservative mps don't think it isjustified. _ the month. but some conservative mps don't think it is justified. my _ don't think it isjustified. m constituents are don't think it isjustified. mg constituents are exasperated and exhausted with the new covid rules and we are back on the conveyor belt with new restric

helen catt, thank ou. night, after powerful tornadoes killed at least least 83 people across six us states. dozens remain missing, with the death toll experted to reach at least 100. entire towns were destroyed by around 30 tornadoes on friday. president biden has declared a disaster in kentucky, where more than 70 people have died. the foreign secretary, liz truss, has warned russia will face �*massive consequences' and a �*severe cost�* if it were to invade ukraine. speaking at the g7 ministerial meeting in liverpool, ms truss said the uk, the united states and other allies are considering �*all options' if russia were to launch an incursion across the border, amid rising tensions in the region. the crucial formula 1 showdown between lewis hamilton and max verstappen is underway in abu dhabi. the mercedes and red bull drivers are locked on the same points in the title race, at the end of one of the greatest seasons in the sport's history. our correspondent nesta mcgregor is with fans at silverstone. it i

here's our political correspondent, helen catt.rime minister has said for a while that he believes this christmas would be better than last, and he said he won't flip the switch on any new restrictions in england before tomorrow. he's used his annual christmas message to urge us to take extra caution, though, and suggested getting a vaccine is in the christian spirit of the season. getting jabbed not just for themselves, for ourselves, but for friends and family and everyone we meet. that, after all, is the teaching ofjesus christ, whose birth is at the heart of this enormous festival, that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves. and so let's think of all those who are being good neighbours and thinking of others. in the 2a hours to yesterday, almost 120,000 new infections were recorded, a record high. and there were 147 deaths within 28 days of a positive test. in his christmas message, the labour leader said this year had been incredibly difficult for the country. in the darkest of times, christian values of kindness,

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.ow is skipton dentist andy bates, who has been a volunteer vaccinator since the beginning of the year. thank of the year. you forjoining us. are you working thank you forjoining us. are you working as a dentist or vaccinated today? working as a dentist or vaccinated toda ? , ., �* ., , today? this morning, i've got my dentist hat _ today? this morning, i've got my dentist hat on _ today? this morning, i've got my dentist hat on and _ today? this morning, i've got my dentist hat on and this _ today? this morning, i've got my dentist hat on and this afternoon| today? this morning, i've got my| dentist hat on and this afternoon i will be at a vaccination centre. how are ou will be at a vaccination centre. how are you finding _ will be at a vaccination centre. how are you finding the _ will be at a vaccination centre. how are you finding the time, why did you decide to volunteer? i volunteered, for quite a long time now i have worked four days a week. ijust now i have worked four days a we

here's helen catt reporting on sunday on the latest revelations about what went on in downing streetnow posing very real questions for the prime minister. pictured here with two aides hosting a round on 15 december last year. on the video call, number 10 staff, some dialling in from home, others apparently gathered in groups elsewhere in the building. at the time, indoor socialising with others was banned in london. a number of newswatch viewers felt the coverage of that quiz, and more widely of alleged parties over the last couple of weeks, was excessive and threatened to distract the public from the increasing dangers posed by the pandemic. belinda craig emailed: and tim semmens had this to say: well, we asked to talk to someone from the bbc�*s politics department about this, but no—one was available. politics department about this, instead we were given this statement. in a pre—recorded address shown on sunday evening on bbc one and other channels, the prime minister declared that there was a "tidal wave" of omicron coming. he started his statement like this. over the past year we

helen catt reports.micron variant of coronavirus and the speed at which it is spreading that ministers say has left them with little choice but to move england to plan b. we estimated that it spreads, the doubling rate is between 2.5 and three days which means the number of community infections are doubling in that time and what that means is that if it carried on at that rate, you could have1 million infections through community transmission by the end of the month. but some conservative mps don't think it is justified. amongst many of my constituents, there is a sense of exasperation and exhaustion with the new covid rules and a real fear that we are now back on the conveyor belt to more restrictions, so can we have a debate on how we learn to live with covid and its variants in the long—term without unacceptable measures such as widespread use of vaccine passports? many are also angry about how downing street has handled recent events, including the alleged party held on the 18th of december last year

our political correspondent helen catt is here. er measures, but also strong resistance within the conservative party? yes, there is, and that is to the current plan b proposed restrictions, not even further restrictions, not even further restrictions beyond that, the number of conservative mps are saying that they won't vote for at least part of plan b in the commons on tuesday is growing all the time. it's currently sitting around the high �*50s, low �*605 sitting around the high �*50s, low �*60s mark. if that happens, that would be the biggest rebellion since borisjohnson became prime minister and it's driven by a real opposition to the idea, the principle of vaccine passports, and also by concerns about the economic impact potentially of restrictions. frankly, though, it's also because a lot of the openness that mps have towards being convinced perhaps to vote for something they don't like or don't agree with by number ten, hasjust or don't agree with by number ten, has just evaporated because of the way downing street has handl

now on bbc news, review 2021, the year in politics. 0ur political correspondent helen catt looks at theries behind the headlines. three, two, one! big ben chimes 2021 was another extraordinary year in politics. the uk stopped following eu trading rules. the biggest vaccination programme the country has ever seen was rolled out. but we all spent months in lockdown while it happened. events in afghanistan tested british foreign policy. have you lied to the public, prime minister? at home, accusations of sleaze and rule—breaking tested boris johnson's authority. disrupt this meeting. a woman named jacqui weaver shot to fame for exerting hers. you have no authority here, jacqui weaver, no authority at all. 2021 started fresh off the back of a christmas that had been cancelled, virtually at the last minute, for millions of people. nobody quite knew what the new year would bring. apart from one thing. one hour before the end of 2020, midnight in europe, the brexit transition period came to an end. the uk's relationship with the eu was now governed by the terms of a deal finally reached just a

downing street has described the quiz as a "virtual" event. 0ur political correspondent, helen catt,irtual but is now posing very real questions for the prime minister. pictured here with two aids hosting a round on the 15th of december last year. 0n the video call, number 10 staff — some dialling in from home, others apparently gathered in groups elsewhere in the building. at the time, indoor socialising with others was banned in london. so, question one... was he breaking the law? well, it looks as though he was and he must have known those other groups were in other rooms in his own building and, you know, this is very important because he has damaged his authority. he is now so weak, his party is so divided, he can't deliver the leadership that this country needs. he is the worst possible leader at the worst possible time. that's not the answer given by the government. what do we see? we see a prime minister in his office with two of his staff next to him. there are no drinks. my e—mail is full of people thinking that there were parties with guests and all sorts of things happeni

earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent helen catt about the growing criticism.ure was published this morning on the sunday mirror's first page there is of course, as you would expect, been political reaction to that, opposition coming forward and saying borisjohnson is unfit to lead and we have also had some conservative mps who have come forward and been critical and said, look, the prime minister needs to sort of stop this sort of drip, drip, drip of pictures of claims that we are seeing coming out about what happened around christmas number ten last year. the labour leader was asked this morning about this and he was asked if he thought borisjohnson had broken the law with this. it looks as though he was anti—must have known those other groups were in other rooms in his own building. you know, this is very important. he is now so a week, his party are so divided he can't deliver the leadership that this and we have got a very important vote coming up next week and he can't even discharge the basic functions. he is the worst possible leader at the worst possib

helen catt, bbc news, westminster.itical correspondent iain watsonjoins us now from westminster. good morning. all the leaders putting out the christmas messages. that's right. interesting actually does time of year they are indeed distressing christian values, both borisjohnson and keir starmer boris johnson and keir starmer mentioning borisjohnson and keir starmer mentioning that in the christmas messages and there's been some pretty high—profile endorsement of the booster campaign and boris johnson even suggesting perhaps that jesus christ himself would approve. he said it's in line with the teachings of love thy neighbour. you can give your friends and family and home country christmas gift by getting boosted. vaccination centres remaining open in some places over the coming weekend. that's part of its key message but i think what's interesting is what he didn't quite say a christmas message, but what downing street are saying today in a christmas message borisjohnson says that omicron cases are still surging, down

earlier, i spoke to our political correspondent helen catt, who said, it's been a weekend of criticismit's been a weekend of criticism. that picture was p this since that picture was published this morning on the sunday mirror's first page there is of course, as you would expect, been political reaction to that, opposition coming forward and saying borisjohnson is unfit to lead and we have also had some conservative mps who have come forward and been critical and said, look, the prime minister needs to sort of stop this sort of drip, drip, drip of pictures of claims that we are seeing coming out about what happened around christmas number ten last year. the labour leader was asked this morning about this and he was asked if he thought borisjohnson had broken the law with this. it boris johnson had broken the law with this. .,, ., .,, with this. it looks as though he was anti-must have _ with this. it looks as though he was anti-must have known _ with this. it looks as though he was anti-must have known those - with this. it looks as though he was anti-must have known those other| anti—

helen catt, bbc news.s catering, there was booze, and there were party games. this video that has emerged from a mock press conference is not that, but it is pretty close. and even though the party is still subject to speculation, the laughter amongst borisjohnson's aids about a potential party is real. and you can bet this is a breeze that labour will be pushing pretty hard at prime minister's questions at lunchtime today. here is david lammy. an today. here is david lammy. an apology, the facts, what actually happened, getting really getting serious — happened, getting really getting serious. recognising that this virus has cost _ serious. recognising that this virus has cost lives, and those restrictions are important, because he leads— restrictions are important, because he leads on— restrictions are important, because he leads on public health. getting serious _ he leads on public health. getting serious about the office he held us and apologising to the british people — and apologising to the british

helen catt, bbc news.ffice he holds and apologising to the british people. sir roger gale is the conservative mp for north thanet in kent. he told my colleague victoria derbyshire the prime minister should resign, if he is found to have misled the house of commons over the downing street party. i want to hear what the prime minister says on the record at the dispatch box at lunchtime today, and i will form my judgment after that. i started by saying, and i will repeat, this is my view, my opinion. i am not speaking for anybody. i�*m not speaking on behalf of the government, not even speaking for any of my colleagues, i do not know what my colleagues are thinking. they may believe i am profoundly wrong. i am saying what i think, that is all i can do. and just to confirm, if the prime minister did mislead the house of commons, you say that is a resigning issue? i think the chairman of the 1922 committee, sir graham brady, would have to carry a very clear message to the prime minister under those circumstance

. —— correspondent, helen catt. , : :, , :, street? the timing is certainly not treat for street? the timing is certainly not great for downing _ street? the timing is certainly not great for downing street. - street? the timing is certainly not great for downing street. this - street? the timing is certainly not| great for downing street. this quiz has been reported before but of course now you have a picture, pictures often have a lot more impact than words, frankly. as you said, this is coming at a time when the government is bringing back some restrictions already, the government asking people to work from home once again and bringing encoded passports. they want people to comply with these restrictions, but this is not going to help about. it is also not going to please conservative mps, who are already quite angry, lots of them, as the constant strip drip of allegations are coming out of downing street, they believe that is taking away from their work. there is a big vote in house of commons this week on his r

live to westminster and more from our political correspondent helen catt people have now seen the footagealcony in the last minute, why is this potentially so awkward for the government? it is awkward so awkward for the government? it 3 awkward because if you think back to that footage that's been given to a tv news that they can't, what it shows is as you said a practice run for a press conference so those aren't generous in the room as have people from number ten and staff the audience asking the sort of questions that generalists might ask. this was an event that was never supposed to travel beyond that room. the dates match up. this is apparently recorded unsolicited 22nd of december. the question posed about this fictional party was on the friday night before which would have been the 18th of december and thatis have been the 18th of december and that is the date that sources have told media outlets including the bbc that they attended a party in downing street and to bbc source said there were several dozen there was food and there was drink and there were games. this is why. it loo

here's our political correspondent, helen catt. you have got is boris johnson trying to sell in an unpopular policy to a party that is frankly quite cross with him, white cross with his operation, notjust over these claims of a christmas party and their handling of that, but over a series of things in recent months that they see as a series of necessary mistakes at number ten have made and —— a series of unnecessary mistakes and some of that private anger is starting to speu that private anger is starting to spell out over the airwaves today, so the bolton mp chris green was asked three times this morning in a radio interview to say he had confidence for borisjohnson. he did not answer that, eventually saying, silence speaks volumes. and of course a political party is notjust made up of mps and their leader, the membership too and there are signs there is some degree of upset among conservative members as well. the chair of the self basildon conservative association again in a live interview this morning with bbc essex announced th

against the coronavirus pandemic, to the fight to slow climate change, our political correspondent helen cattd out. but we all spent months in lockdown while it happened. events in afghanistan tested british foreign policy. have you lied to the public, prime minister? at home, accusations of sleaze and rule—breaking tested boris johnson's authority. disrupt this meeting. a woman named jackie weaver shot to fame for exerting hers. you have no authority here, jackie weaver, no authority at all. 2021 started fresh off the back of a christmas that had been cancelled, virtually at the last minute, for millions of people. nobody quite knew what the new year would bring. apart from one thing. one hour before the end of 2020, midnight in europe, the brexit transition period came to an end. the uk's relationship with the eu was now governed by the terms of a deal finally reached just a week earlier on christmas eve. this is an amazing moment for this country. we have our freedom in our hands. and it is up to us to make the most of it. the deal allowed trade to continue, tariff—free, but there were pro

here's helen catt reporting on sunday on the latest revelations about what went on in downing streetm the increasing dangers posed by the pandemic. belinda craig emailed: and tim semmens had this to say: well, we asked to talk to someone from the bbc�*s politics department about this, but no—one was available. instead we were given this statement. in a pre—recorded address shown on sunday evening on bbc one and other channels, the prime minister declared that there was a "tidal wave" of 0micron coming. he started his statement like this. over the past year we have shown that vaccination is the key to beating covid, and that it works. the uk was the first country in the world to administer a vaccine. we delivered we delivered the fastest rollout in europe, and we have begun the fastest booster campaign too, with over 500,000 jabs delivered yesterday alone. given that no new restrictions or regulations were being announced, some viewers were confused about why broadcasters had given the prime minister the airtime to make his address. here is martin burgess—moon. i'm just wondering why