Backlash at MP’s Xmas dinner with 27 guests
Growing calls for ex-minister to be fined for breach of Covid rules at party
PRItI Patel yesterday condemned a tory MP for attending a Christmas dinner for 27 guests at a Mayfair club.
the Home Secretary suggested former defence minister tobias Ellwood could be fined for an ‘egregious’ breach of Covid rules.
the Daily Mail revealed yesterday that Mr Ellwood had spoken at an event in the Cavalry and Guards Club on tuesday night, hours before London moved into tier three restrictions.
the Iraq Britain Business Council described the occasion on its website as its ‘ Christmas Party’ but Mr Ellwood insisted it was a ‘business meeting’ allowed under the tier two restrictions that applied at the time. tier two guidance says that ‘gatherings for work purposes are only allowed where they are reasonably necessary’.
Asked by ItV News if his actions were an ‘egregious’ breach of the rules, Miss Patel said: ‘Well, it is. Of course it is exactly that.
‘Having dinner outside of the rules with a large number of people is a breach of the regulations.’
On potential punishment, Miss Patel said: ‘there are fixed-penalty notices. I don’t know the details as to where this happened or the location, but I’m sure, as it is a breach, that will be followed up.’
But she declined to say whether it was a disciplinary matter for her party, adding: ‘I simply do not know the full details.’
Downing Street said Boris Johnson supported
‘Important to carry the same message’
the Home Secretary’s view. His spokesman said he had been ‘clear throughout the pandemic that it is vital for everybody to abide by the rules in order to suppress the virus’.
Mr Ellwood, who represents Bournemouth East and is chairman of the Commons defence committee, yesterday issued a partial apology. He said he was ‘sorry coverage of my well-intentioned attendance may have muddled the Government’s clear message as we head towards Christmas’.
He said he worked hard to improve his understanding of foreign policy and had ‘ gleaned extremely useful intelligence’ about issues in the Middle East during the dinner.
Mr Ellwood later tried to blame the description of the event as a Christmas Party on translation issues. He told Radio 4’s PM programme: ‘If I had a choice between going home to play Lego or this, I know where I would prefer to be.
‘I did this because, as I say, I make an effort to understand what is going on around the world.’
He dismissed Miss Patel’s warning of a fine, saying she should take it up with the club first.
Mr Ellwood attended the event the day after he told the Commons that allowing families to meet over Christmas ‘could be very dangerous indeed’. He suggested the relaxation of rules over the festive period could lead to a ‘third wave’.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: ‘ It is incumbent on all of us as MPs to follow the rules and be seen to be following the rules because it is very important that we all carry the same message to the country.’