Former Conservative mayoral candidate Sean Bailey resigns from senior position after being photographed at a party during lockdown rules | politics news

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A former Conservative candidate for mayor has resigned from a senior position in the London Assembly after being accused of a “clear breach” of COVID regulations.

Sean Bailey, who lost to Sadiq Khan in London’s mayoral election in May, was photographed at what was said to be a Christmas party held during strict COVID rules last year.

The Daily Mirror, which published a picture of Mr Bailey surrounded by more than 20 other people, said the event was held at the Conservative Party headquarters in Westminster on December 14, 2020.

At the time, London was subject to Level 2 restrictions that prohibited families from mingling indoors.

In the photo, some of the people in the photo are raising glasses as they stand next to a buffet, while some are also wearing festive headgear and clothing.

It has been confirmed that Mr Bailey has now resigned as Chairman of the London Council Police and Crime Committee.

The Conservative Party of the GLA said in a statement that it did not want an unauthorized social gathering of some former members of the London mayoral campaign team last December to divert attention from the committee’s important work holding the Mayor of London to account.

“He will continue to speak out on behalf of Londoners who no longer feel safe in our city and will continue to push for a strategy to address the disproportionate level of crime in the black community in London.”

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Employees of the CCHQ (Conservative campaign headquarters) learned of an unauthorized social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organized by the Bailey Campaign on the evening of 14 December.

“Formal disciplinary action has been taken against the four CCHQ employees who were seconded to Bailey’s campaign.”

Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner said Bailey’s position as chair of the Police and Crime Commission was “unacceptable”.

“This is irrefutable evidence of a party, with buffet, drinks, Christmas clothes and absolutely no social distancing at Conservative headquarters,” she told the Daily Mirror.

“Shawn Bailey is an elected official who is clearly violating COVID regulations in this photo and is encouraging the same as his staff.

“While everyone was making sacrifices to keep their community safe, the head of the Greater London Authority’s Police and Crime Commission was celebrating.”

Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said the recently released photo shows “how rotten Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is”.

Campaign spokesperson Sean Bailey told the newspaper: “On the evening of December 14, 2020, at the end of the action day, the campaign hosted an after action event to thank campaign staff for their efforts throughout the year.

“This was a huge miscalculation and we fully accept that such a gathering as that time was a mistake and we apologize unreservedly.”

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case was recently tasked with investigating alleged gatherings or parties that were held in government buildings during the COVID restrictions.

At the weekend, a picture of Prime Minister Boris Johnson was posted on a screen in his office flanked by two colleagues reading test questions to Staff Number 10.

Downing Street said Johnson took part in the “virtual test” for a “short period”.

The Daily Mirror has since claimed that some employees have stayed at Number 10 for socializing and drinking for hours after the test ended at 9:30 p.m.

The newspaper also reported that a senior official urged staff to leave No. 10 through a back door after the event.

Downing Street sources said they could not comment on new allegations while the investigations continued.

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