UK: Tory members were called for ‘Jingle and Mingle’ party during Covid lockdown, shows invitation

Conservative Party aides in the United Kingdom were invited for a “Jingle and Mingle” event during the 2020 COVID-19-induced lockdown, as per an invitation seen by BBC, reported on Monday (June 18). This came a day after Mirror news outlet released a 45-second video which purportedly shows Tory staff drinking and dancing as they appear to joke about “bending” Covid lockdown rules in December 2020.

‘Jingle and Mingle’ event: Who was invited?

The invite was reportedly sent to 30 people on behalf of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s now ex-aide Ben Mallet amid Tier 2 Covid restrictions in London. The restrictions in question had banned indoor socialising.

Image of the invite procured by BBC shows a Christmas theme “Jingle and Mingle” party “save the date” for December 14 at 6:00 pm and reads “For the Shaun Bailey for London holiday party”.

The Conservative Party has said that four people were disciplined over the event, but has not named them. The infamous lockdown parties at the Tory party’s headquarters were organised by the campaign team for Shaun Bailey, who was running for London mayor at the time the video was filmed.

Notably, a spokesperson for Mallet who was also the campaign director for the Conservative Party’s candidate in 2021 said that he did not send out the invitation himself and it was sent by an administrator, reported BBC.

The Covid party footage released

The invitation procured by BBC was also released a day after the Mirror released a video which is said to be that of the Tory staff drinking and dancing. The UK’s Metropolitan Police has since said that they are in the midst of assessing the video.

“We are aware of a video showing a December 2020 event that was previously the subject of an investigation into alleged Covid breaches. Officers are assessing that video,” the UK police told the Mirror.

Though the Daily Mirror provided still images from the footage, Bailey himself is not visible in the film. He had earlier apologised for attending the party. According to BBC, Bailey said that the event “turned into something” after he had left and claimed he was “very upset about the video” as he had “never seen it before”.

Lockdown rules at the time

During the lockdown, London was placed under Tier 2 Covid restrictions, which bar people from socialising indoors, except with members of their household or a support bubble.

However, the people who wanted to socialise at that time were allowed to do so in a garden or at a pub with outdoor seating, but the authorities had limited such gatherings to six people.

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