A new video has emerged showing Conservative staff dancing and drinking during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The footage obtained by The Mirror shows workers partying while lockdown rules were in place in December 2020.
In the video, one man is heard asking, “Are you filming this?” – while another responds, “it’s for party, erm, party use”.
The party took place on the evening of 14 December while London was in Tier 2 of COVID restrictions – meaning there was supposed to be no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles, and only six people were allowed to meet – socially distanced – outside.
24 people were at the party at Tory campaign HQ – more than what was allowed at a wake.
So, who were the people at the party?
Shaun Bailey
At the time, Shaun Bailey was the Conservative Party’s candidate for the Mayor of London.
Mr Bailey was seen in an image taken at the event, but was not seen in the latest footage released.
In a picture from the party, which emerged in 2021, Mr Bailey stands in the middle of the group, smiling and posing as colleagues around him are seen with drinks in their hands.
After the photograph emerged, Mr Bailey stepped down from an official role in the London assembly.
At the time, a statement released from the assembly’s Conservative group said Mr bailey “does not want an unauthorised social gathering involving some former members of the London mayoral campaign team last December to distract from the committee’s important work holding the mayor of London to account”.
Mr Bailey is the MP for West Bromwich West and has been since 2019.
He was named in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list and given a peerage.
Nick Candy
Nick Candy, also known as Nicholas Anthony Christopher Candy, is a Tory Donor and is best known for his interest in property development.
Mr Candy was pictured at the party wearing a grey blazer while he raised his glass of wine.
His time in development led to him working on projects including London’s One Hyde Park, Noho Square and the redevelopment of the former Chelsea Barracks.
According to the Estates Gazette magazine rich list in 2010, Mr Candy and his brother Christian Peter Candy were estimated to share a joint net worth of £1.5 billion.
This placed them at number 52 in the list of richest property developers in the UK.
Benjamin Robert Mallet
Ben Mallet, who was awarded an OBE in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, was pictured at the party wearing festive braces and a navy blue tie.
Mr Mallet is seen in the video laughing with colleagues, and a voice is then heard saying: “What do you think of this?”
In the picture captured of the event, Mr Mallet is also seen holding a glass of wine as he poses with the rest of the group.
In 2016 the Tory aide helped run Zac Goldsmith’s mayoral campaign, and this year, he is running Mozammel Hossain’s London mayoral campaign.
In a recent tweet, Mr Goldsmith defended Mr Mallet’s actions in the video and said: “Ben Mallet made a mistake (a pretty small one in the scheme of things).
“He apologised. He’s a kind & decent person who’s not hurt anyone.
Mr Mallet is currently the director of international campaigns for The Messina Group.
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The couple who were seen dancing in the Partygate video
Jack Smith and Malin Bogue
The pair seen twirling and dancing in the video, and at one point, even knocking over wine glasses as they spiralled into a table filled with food, are reportedly Jack Smith and Malin Bogue.
The two were seen dancing in front of a sign that said: “Please keep your distance.”
Jack Smith is seen in a Christmas jumper and green trousers, while Malin Bogue is seen in a red dress.
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Mr Smith works as a parliamentary aid to Tory minister Graham Stuart.
Ms Bogue is the daughter of a wealthy businessman from San Franciso and worked on Mr Johnson’s leadership campaign to replace Theresa May in 2019.
According to her Linkedin account, Ms Bogue is now a Senior Consultant, Defence and Public Affairs at Stonehaven.
And, according to the Evening Standard, she is part of the campaign team for Tory mayoral hopeful Moz Hossain KC.
The Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has reacted to the video and said it was “terrible” and “out of order.”
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, he said: “The fact this party went ahead is indefensible.
“I just want to apologise to everyone really who, looking at that image, will think well these are people who are flouting the rules that were put in place to protect us all.”
