Government has lost grip of any confidence

“If the prime minister knew about this party last December, knew about this party last week, and was still denying it, then that is the most serious allegation. “There is absolutely no way you can mislead parliament and think you could get off with that.

“No one should continue in their post if they mislead parliament in that way.”

Not our words. Not even the words of one of Boris Johnson’s staunchest critics.

They were spoken by Scottish Tory Party leader Douglas Ross on the day the prime minister’s former adviser Allegra Stratton quit over her role in the affair.

A leaked video shows her joking with aides about the disputed Downing Street Christmas party last December, when gatherings were banned due to Covid.

Mr Johnson insists he has been “repeatedly assured” no event took place. We await the outcome of an investigation. But another former adviser Dominic Cummings claims a party was held in the Downing Street flat on the day he was sacked, November 13.

And with anger mounting in the Tory ranks, including their former Scottish leader Ruth Davidson, there will be little to celebrate at Number 10 this Christmas.

Mr Johnson has ridden out scandal upon outrage during his tenure.

Will this will be the career-ender, or just another postscript to his government’s handling of the pandemic?

It has heaped hurt on people who followed the rules – often at great personal expense – last Christmas.

It is in danger of undermining efforts to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.

It is a shambolic performance by a government that has squandered public confidence in its time of greatest need.