/wion/media/agency_attachments/2024/12/26/2024-12-26t112006978z-wion-white-logo-for-website-2-1.png){kind=logo}
/wion/media/agency_attachments/2024/12/13/2024-12-13t071548098z-wionlogo.webp)
/wion/media/post_attachments/files/2020/05/23/141579-untitled-design.jpg)
London, United Kingdom
UK's home secretary Priti Patel has accused a former Foreign Office minister of breaching the coronavirus lockdown regulations after he attended a Christmas party in the capital city of London.
A senior Tory MP, Tobias Ellwood, attended an event at the Cavalry and Guards Club on Tuesday in London. This event was attended by 27 people, a few hours before the city moved into a Tier-3 lockdown to contain the widespread of the novel coronavirus.
Also read| New variant of coronavirus identified in UK; London in tier 3 lockdown
The dinner was hosted by the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) in Piccadilly and was being referred to as a 'Christmas party' on the official website â but the information was reportedly removed later. Ellwood, however, has denied this accusation and claimed it to be a business meeting.
"I would not be attending a Christmas party, it was a business meeting," he said. "I went there to meet business people and that is what it was. The club went to extreme lengths so that as a business function it was absolutely Covid compliant."
Also read| Closer to Brexit trade deal but success unclear, says EU chief in European Parliament
Priti Patel, on the other hand, thinks her fellow politician has clearly breached the rules. "Having dinner ... outside of the rules with a large number of people is a breach of the regulations," she said in an interview.
She also assured that a proper investigation will be conducted in this matter and penalty will be levied upon the Tory MP. "There are fixed penalty notices. I donât know the details as to where this happened or the location, but Iâm sure ... as it is a breach, that will be followed up."
Apols re my well intentioned attendance at an Iraqi/British Business event.
It was fully Covid compliant & helpful to learn more about where Iraqâs heading as UK troops are still there.
But during this challenging time perceptions count. Something Iâm now very more conscious of. pic.twitter.com/fAbEwILmna
â Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) December 17, 2020
Ellwood took to Twitter to explain his side of the argument and defended this gathering as an opportunity to understand the situation of the Middle East. "We still have troops based in Iraq and the security situation is deteriorating. I work hard to leverage every opportunity to further my understanding of international foreign policy and security matters. I gleaned extremely useful intelligence from this gathering about what is happening on the ground and wider issues affecting the Middle East," he said.