Police issue 24 fines for Shaun Bailey’s team’s ‘jingle and mingle’ Covid party
A total of 24 police fines are set to be issued for the notorious “jingle and mingle” Covid Christmas party held by Shaun Bailey’s London mayoral campaign staff.
In the latest step in the Partygate scandal, the Metropolitan Police also said they were continuing their investigation into a pandemic-era event in parliament attended by top Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin.
Police dramatically reopened their investigation into the ‘jingle’ party after new video evidence emerged earlier this year.
At the time Rishi Sunak faced fresh calls to block Mr Bailey’s peerage – handed to the failed mayoral candidate by Boris Johnson in his resignation honours.
He has now taken his seat in the House of Lords.
Lord Bailey, as he is now, has previously apologised "unreservedly" for the event organised by his campaign team, and described it as a "serious error of judgment".
Both Lord Bailey, and Tory aide Ben Mallett - who later became an OBE in Mr Johnson's honours list, were at the gathering at Matthew Parker Street on December 14, 2020, while strict rules were in force.
A video published by the Mirror earlier this year showed staff appearing to dance, drink and joke about Covid restrictions at the party. The Pogues song ‘Fairytale of New York’ can be heard playing in the background.
The BBC also published an invitation, which revealed that the event was formally called "jingle and mingle".
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "Having assessed that new evidence, the Met has made 24 referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to the ACRO Criminal Records Office for breaches of Covid-19 regulations."
At the time of the party London was under ‘Tier 2’ restrictions which banned indoor socialising between people from different households.
On the day the party was held, concern about rising cases led to the announcement that London would move to even stricter ‘Tier 3’ restrictions on December 16, just two days later.
A Conservative Party spokesman said the gathering was "unauthorised" and that formal disciplinary action was taken against four Conservative Party HQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.
A second investigation into a gathering in Parliament on December 8 2020, said to have been arranged by Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing, continues.
That event was cited by Boris Johnson in a scathing statement accusing Sir Bernard of "monstrous hypocrisy" for allegedly attending the event before sitting on the cross-party panel which found the former prime minister had lied to MPs over Partygate.
Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour’s Party Chair, responding to the Metropolitan Police making 24 referrals for fines for breaches of Covid regulations at a ‘jingle and mingle’ party organised by Shaun Bailey’s London mayoral campaign, said: “While the British people made huge sacrifices to save lives during the pandemic, we’ve seen countless examples of conservatives thinking the rules simply don’t apply to them.
“Despite this, Rishi Sunak still saw fit to allow Shaun Bailey to enter the House of Lords.“This clearly demonstrates his promise of professionalism, integrity and accountability is nothing more than a hollow joke.”
