Responding to the video showing senior Number 10 figures laughing about last year’s Christmas Party at Downing Street, Medway Labour and Co-operative Group Leader Vince Maple said:

“In 2020, 530 people died because of Coronavirus in Medway. Many more lost loved ones. We missed special moments, gave up on a family Christmas, and in many cases didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye. The people of Medway followed the rules.

“Now it is clear that not only did Boris Johnson’s Downing Street fail to follow the rules, they laughed about it and then they lied about it. They are laughing at every single person in Britain who did their best to help our country get past this terrible virus. And now they are lying to our faces.

“Again and again and again with this government, they let us down then they lie – and now we know they are laughing at us behind the scenes. It’s one rule for them, another for everyone else.”