Prime Minister Boris Johnson said sorry for a video showing his staffers joking about reports of a party in Downing Street during last winter's COVID-19 lockdown, saying he was furious but that he had been assured there was no party. A clip of the Prime Minister's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton has emerged in which she appears saying, in a jokingly tone: "This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced."

       Mr Johnson told parliament at the start of Prime Minister's Questions: "I was also furious to see that clip.

       "I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country and I apologise for the impression that it gives.

       "I understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing No 10 staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures.

       "But I repeat... that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged, that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken."

       Amid laugher, she answers: "I went home.

       "Hold on, hold on.

       "Erm, err..."

       She is then asked whether the Prime Minister would condone having a Christmas party, to which Mr Stratton reacts, again, with laughter.

       She replies: "What's the answer?"

       A colleague jokes: "It wasn't a party... it was cheese and wine."

       She asks: "Is cheese and wine alright?

       "It was a business meeting."

       And they all burst into laughter.

       Ms Stratton adds: "No, joking!

       "This is recorded.

       "This fictional party was a business meeting... and it was not socially distanced."

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       "We've all watched the video of the Prime Minister's staff, including his personal spokesperson.

       "They knew there was a party, they knew it was against the rules, they knew they couldn't admit it, and they thought it was funny."

       In a shoutout to presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, who referenced the Christmas party allegations during their show on Tuesday, Sir Keir added: "It's obvious what happened. Ant and Dec are ahead of the Prime Minister on this.

       "The Prime Minister has been caught red-handed.

       "Why doesn't he end the investigation right now by just admitting it?"