Sean Bailey forced to drop peerage over partygate video

Sean Bailey has apologized for a December 2020 event hosted by his campaign staff. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP

Sean Bailey should think a senior Conservative MP has offered to give up his peerage because a quarantine-violating party is being scrutinized by the police.

Former mayoral candidate apologizes for an event held by his campaign headquarters at the headquarters of the Conservative Party in December 2020.

The event was previously reported to be part of the partygate scandal, but now detectives are looking into it again after posting a video of employees dancing and joking about «breaking» Covid rules.

Tobias Ellwood, Chairman of the Defense Committee, said Mr. Bailey should consider waiving the peerage that was given to him on Boris Johnson's June 9 resignation honors list.

«The peerage issue needs to be understood . You can't just have prime ministers stuffing the lords with your friends,» he said on BBC Radio 4's Today program.

«There has to be a structure that the British people really accept and maybe , only three or four that are allowed each year.”

When asked if Mr. Bailey should «consider his position» in light of the Metropolitan Police's inspection of his team's party, Mr. Ellwood said, «I think it's for him…certainly he should consider it if speak frankly.»

A video posted by the Sunday Mirror shows Conservative Party campaigners dancing to Christmas songs. Photo: Sunday Mirror

“But in a broader sense, what can I say, we need a reform of the Lords. You can't put people into lordships for life.

“Perhaps there should be a limit of 15 years. Of course, there must be limits on the number of peerages that any prime minister can receive. These are the things that I think I would like us as a party to understand.”

The Met is currently investigating several events allegedly violating quarantines, including a House of Commons drinking party reportedly attended by Sir Bernard Jenkin and meetings at Checkers found in Johnson's Covid-era diaries.

< p>Mr. Bailey's staff party was advertised on the invitation, which described it as a «call and mingle» event and a «holiday party».

A video released by the Sunday Mirror shows employees dancing to Christmas songs, as well as some senior campaign staff, including Ben Mallet, who was recently awarded an MBE.

No official investigations have yet been opened , but Sir Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested on Monday that officers would do so in the coming days.

said, that while the Met has previously looked into the event, the new footage gives a better idea of ​​the nature of the party than the original photo released in December 2021.

“It is clear that the video says a lot. richer and clearer story than the photograph, so the team is looking into it to determine if it serves as the basis for further investigation,” he said on the News Agents podcast.

“I think we can all see the colorful the nature of the video and how much it tells a story that goes beyond the original photo.

“I need the team to work on this, but I think we can all guess how things will go. .”

Mr Bailey remains a member of the London Assembly.