Downing Street Christmas Parties Investigation Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Downing Street Christmas Parties Investigation

Carol Monaghan Excerpts
Thursday 9th December 2021

(2 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Ellis Portrait Michael Ellis
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That is exactly what the investigation seeks to uncover. If there was a gathering, it seeks to uncover the nature of that gathering.

Carol Monaghan Portrait Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)
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The issue is not the however many gatherings. The Prime Minister has made a litany of errors, any one of which would have caused a decent Prime Minister to resign, whether it is the illegal Prorogation, the Barnard Castle incident, the comment on letting bodies “pile high in their thousands,” the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan that has cost lives or the scandal surrounding Owen Paterson. Is it not time for the Prime Minister to go back to watching “Peppa Pig” and leave the grown-ups to lead the country?

Michael Ellis Portrait Michael Ellis
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As the hon. Lady knows, the Prime Minister has been given repeated categorical assurances about the party that has been alleged. The reality of the matter is that the allegations are just that. She makes those allegations and the nature of the investigation is to discover whether any gathering was in breach of any regulations. It has been made clear that, if there was a breach of any regulations, disciplinary action will follow, but these are gatherings that occur on a regular basis.