No.10 Christmas party 'was planned three weeks ahead with invites sent during lockdown'

The controversial Downing Street Christmas party that allegedly took place during lockdown had been planned for three weeks, with invitations sent via WhatsApp while the country was in lockdown, according to reports.

The Times reported that invitations were sent to officials and advisors at the end of November 2020, inviting them to the Number 10 press office's 'secret Santa' gathering on 18 December.

The report comes following the launch of an inquiry by cabinet secretary Simon Case into allegations that there was a party on 18 December 2020 while the rest of the country was in lockdown.

The latest person to come under the spotlight in connection with the party is Jack Doyle - who is Number 10’s director of communications - who reportedly attended the party, where he is said to have addressed 50 people and handed out awards.

Watch: 'Party suggests balloons and poppers': Paul Scully chooses the word 'gathering' for parties

It comes after Boris Johnson's former spokesperson Allegra Stratton resigned after she was seen in a video joking with Downing Street officials over the alleged Christmas party.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he has been "assured" by senior advisers that the event was not a party.

Read more: WhatsApp to Tory donor 'reveals Boris Johnson lied' about flat refurbishment

But on Friday Labour accused the Prime Minister of 'stretching the boundaries of credibility' in his denials of any knowledge of the gathering.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “Boris Johnson, through the lies he’s told again and again and again, has stretched the boundaries of credibility”.

He said: "I’m sure Boris Johnson is busy planning who he is going to throw under the bus next.

"We’ve had the resignation of Allegra Stratton, there are questions now about the Prime Minister’s communications director, but you know, whether it’s Allegra Stratton, Jack Doyle, Dominic Cummings, Gavin Williamson, Matt Hancock, these people who have flagrantly broken the rules and in full view of the public with no accountability, they have one thing in common and that’s the man who’s appointed them and his judgment.

"And I’m afraid it’s his untrustworthy nature, his disorganisation, his dishonesty, which is undermining trust in public health measures."

Small business minister Paul Scully told LBC that he was not sure when a "gathering" became a "party".

He said he was using the word gathering because 'party' suggested "balloons and poppers and these kind of things".

He said: "It suggests that there’s big invitations going out and lots of people coming in from out… from elsewhere and those kind of things".

Watch: Londoners weigh in on new Covid rules as government Christmas party under investigation