Grant Shapps denies all knowledge of a boozy Department for Transport lockdown party
In yet another scoop for the Daily Mirror, Rachel Wearmouth reports that Department for Transport staff held a boozy party in Whitehall on December 16th 2020 – the day London came under Tier 3 regulations.
If the department’s lead minister, Grant Shapps, is to be believed, he had no knowledge of the gathering.
Tory Cabinet minister Grant Shapps called Shaun Bailey's CCHQ party was "disgraceful"
Turns out civil servants from his own office held a rule-breaking Christmas bash in Dec, when London was in T3. DfT has apologised.
🚨🎄EXC story here..🎄🚨https://t.co/EcIaUUTmIn
— Rachel Wearmouth (@REWearmouth) December 16, 2021
It’s a bold move to have a works party at work and not invite the boss; perhaps the invitation was addressed to Michael Green. A spokesperson said of the party –
“We recognise this was inappropriate and apologise for the error of judgement.”
With so many revelations, it may be time for an amnesty. Any MPs or their staff who had a lockdown party could come forward now and save the embarrassment of being publicly shamed by the Mirror.
People may be developing partygate fatigue, but they still had some thoughts to share on this development.
1.
Grant Shapps was unaware. Michael Green was DJing. https://t.co/tvwsh3Id8i
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) December 16, 2021
2.
When your boss is Grant Shapps aka 'The Ponzi', the party never stops. https://t.co/QyBDPeOAQP
— THE SECRET TORY (@secrettory12) December 16, 2021
3.
How very DfT to get on the bandwagon. https://t.co/l0hy7aQIY3
— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) December 16, 2021
4.
Did any of them NOT have a party during lockdown?
— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) December 16, 2021
5.
Might be quicker at this point to just write a story about the government departments that didn’t have parties last December. Hats off to @REWearmouth for the scoop! https://t.co/0DdbjIcFI9
— Dan Bloom (@danbloom1) December 16, 2021
6.
24 hours is a long time in politics. pic.twitter.com/9kOFTi2133
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) December 16, 2021
7.
To be fair, Grant Shapps not getting invited to his own department's christmas party is a mood https://t.co/efLeOaXR8F
— David Frankal (@DavidFrankal) December 16, 2021
8.
Can we find a SINGLE FUCKING TORY who didn't say "fuck off" to rules they imposed on us, just to spare Cressida Dick's blushes? https://t.co/VeJSBNYoW9
— Mike Holden 💙 (@MikeHolden42) December 16, 2021
9.
Chuck it on the pile. https://t.co/KWrKfwTHlf
— Emma Kennedy💙 (@EmmaKennedy) December 16, 2021
10.
There were more Downing Street parties last year than I think I've ever been to in my adult life. https://t.co/zInrGkQCdO
— LED 💙 🇮🇪 (@elli_copter) December 16, 2021
11.
Funny that the ministers were all unaware..
What a coincidence.. https://t.co/d793VCJfXh
— Omz2468 (@Omz2468) December 16, 2021
To be filed under ‘This aged well.’
@KayBurley: Did Shaun Bailey do the right thing by resigning? @grantshapps: Absolutely… breaking the rules is unacceptable.
pic.twitter.com/AsIoSwc55Y https://t.co/RAO5VfXli8
— Brexitshambles (@brexit_sham) December 16, 2021
READ MORE
Lockdown partygoers at Tory HQ actually posed for a photo – 17 scathing responses
Source Daily Mirror Image Screengrab
