As it happened: Labour questions PM's integrity over drinks party

1. MPs in the Commons have been asking minister Michael Ellis for more details on an alleged drinks party at No 10 during lockdown
2. Labour's Angela Rayner asked if Boris Johnson knew about the party in May 2020 and called on him to respond personally
3. Michael Ellis said he had confidence in the PM, but would not comment on the ongoing investigation into various gatherings
4. About 100 people were invited to the "bring-your-own-booze" event in the Downing Street garden in the first lockdown, the BBC understands
5. Witnesses say Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie were among about 30 people at the gathering on 20 May 2020
6. Meanwhile, from today, people without Covid symptoms no longer need a PCR test to confirm a positive lateral flow in England
7. Restrictions on large outdoor events in Scotland will be lifted from Monday, allowing football and rugby fans to fully return to matches

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It's goodbye from us for now but we'll be back with all the latest updates tomorrow.

Today's live page was the work of Mary O'Connor, Alex Kleiderman, Nathan Williams, Chris Giles, Alys Davies, Kate Whannel, Alexandra Fouché, Jasmine Taylor-Coleman and Marie Jackson. It was edited by Hamish Mackay and Emma Owen.

Before we go... a summary

On a day that's been dominated by that Downing Street drinks party, here's a round-up of what's been happening in the UK and elsewhere:

• Boris Johnson is under intense pressure to answer questions about a party held during the first Covid lockdown in May 2020
• 30 people were at the gathering, it's understood, and two witnesses have told the BBC the prime minister and his wife were there
• In the Commons this afternoon, Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis said MPs needed to wait for an investigation into Downing Street parties to conclude before passing judgement
• Labour's Dame Angela Eagle said Ellis had been sent to "defend the utterly indefensible" and Johnson should "fess up"

• In Scotland, restrictions on large outdoor events will be lifted from Monday, allowing football and rugby fans to fully return to matches
• Another 379 deaths have been recorded in the UK and 120,821 new cases reported
• Meanwhile, Serbia's prime minister says she's hopeful tennis star Novak Djokovic, who was nearly deported from Australia, will be able to stay in the country to defend his singles title

• And the World Health Organization warns that half of Europe will catch Omicron within six to eight weeks.

How many people were fined for illegal gatherings?

BBC Reality Check

BBC

During the first lockdown – 27 March to 1 June 2020 – 17,981 fines were issued for breaking Covid-19 restrictions.

We don’t know exactly how many of those were for illegal gatherings of more than 30 people on private properties, but it wasn’t very many. Only 29 fines were issued for that offence in first and second lockdowns put together.

During first lockdown, fines for those attending illegal indoor gatherings of more than 30 people were £100 – or £50 if paid quickly – doubling after each offence.

Not all of the fines imposed will have been paid. Between March 2020 and August 2021, prosecutors checked 2,098 cases that had been challenged. They ruled that 445 had been incorrectly charged and 348 cases were withdrawn.

Serbian PM hopes for Djokovic decision soon

Serbia PM: I can't agree with Djokovic jab decision

On Monday, we reported extensively on tennis star Novak Djokovic winning a legal battle in Australia to overturn his visa cancellation to play at the Australian Open.

But Australian officials have said they're still considering whether or not to deport him.

Now, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic has told the BBC she remains hopeful the world men's number one will be allowed to defend his singles title at the tournament.

Following a phone conversation with her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, she said Serbia understood Australia's restrictive Covid rules and procedures, and that Belgrade was not looking for any special treatment for Djokovic.

I don’t think this is the end of the whole saga. I am hoping Novak will be able to play in the Australian Open

Ana BrnabicSerbian Prime Minister

"What’s important is that Novak is treated equally, that he gets a fair chance. We support him, but at the same time it’s important to keep the relationship strong between the two countries."

On Djokovic attending public events after his positive PCR test, she said that if he had done so, it would be a clear breach of Serbian rules.

"What we don’t know is when he actually saw his results, so there is some grey area, and I think the only answer to this can be provided by Novak."

She also said she didn't understand why you wouldn’t want to get vaccinated, but that "in a democracy you have to respect a person’s decision".

• Did Djokovic break rules after testing positive?

Can having a cold protect you? Your Omicron questions answered

As Omicron becomes the dominant variant across the globe, some BBC World News viewers have been sending in questions.

Would it be accurate to say Omicron is like a bad flu? Have countries started changing their travel restrictions? Can having a cold over winter protect you against Covid?

BBC World News’s Lucy Hockings put these questions and others to Prof David Montefiori, immunologist at Duke University, and Julia Lo Bue-Said the CEO at The Advantage Travel Partnership.

Is Omicron like bad flu? Your questions answered

United Airlines cuts back schedule over staff shortages

Natalie Sherman

New York business reporter

EPA

United Airlines will reduce its schedule due to staff shortages this month, in the latest sign of economic strains caused by the Omicron variant.

Chief executive Scott Kirby said some 3,000 employees were out sick - about 4% of its US workforce. At one point, one-third of its staff at its main hub in New Jersey called out with the virus, he said.

The moves follow widespread flight cancellations in recent weeks. Transit systems in the US have also reduced service, while retailers such as Apple and Macy’s have cut hours at some store, and school districts such as Chicago have cancelled classes. Firms including Facebook have delayed return-to-office plans.

Speaking to Congress on Tuesday, the head of America’s central bank said the pandemic was causing economic disruption for far longer than most experts anticipated.

“Two years ago, I don’t think we would have said we would still be having record levels of cases and [near] record levels of hospitalisation,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said.

“Getting past the pandemic is the most important thing we can do.”

Who is Sue Gray?

BBC

Her name keeps popping up, but beside being the senior civil servant leading the Downing Street parties' inquiry, what else do we know about Sue Gray?

Gray, who is married to a country and western singer, has worked in several departments including transport and health, but is not a typical career civil servant.

In the late 1980s she took a career break to run a pub in Northern Ireland - a job she said she loved but would never do again.

Having served as head of the Cabinet Office's ethics team, she is experienced at investigating ministers.

In 2012, her inquiry into "plebgate" led to the resignation of then-chief whip Andrew Mitchell.

Mitchell admitted using bad language towards a police officer, but denied calling him a "pleb".

And a 2017 investigation forced Damian Green to step down as minister after he was found to have made "inaccurate" statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008.

Last year her application to become head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service was rejected - something she attributed to being "too much of a challenger".

WATCH: Rayner and Ellis on Johnson role in lockdown party

In case you missed it earlier, Labour's deputy leader told MPs there would be no need for an investigation in to a party in Downing Street if the prime minister explained if he knew about it and if he attended.

Angela Rayner said the government could not "blame it on a few junior civil servants".

Paymaster General Michael Ellis, answering Rayner's question in the Commons, said he had confidence in Boris Johnson's honour and integrity.

Rayner and Ellis on Johnson role in No 10 work lockdown party

Deal with social trauma of pandemic, author urges

BBC

Children's author Michael Rosen, who himself was seriously ill with Covid, has been talking to BBC News about the latest Downing Street party claims.

He reflects that Covid has involved hundreds of thousands of people who've all been damaged in some way by the pandemic - creating a kind of social trauma, much like the London Blitz during World War Two.

He says: "I don't think we have begun to deal with this social trauma. But worse, this is just the opposite of dealing with it.

"Instead of the equivalent of wreaths at the Cenotaph, what we're getting is 'oh, we were partying while you were doing that'.

"It's an appalling feeling to just think of that."

BreakingUK reports 379 new Covid deaths

A further 379 deaths have been reported within 28 days of a positive cornavirus test, official UK figures show.

There have now been 1,660 deaths by this measure in the last seven days - an 80% increase on the seven previous days.

There have also been another 120,821 Covid cases recorded across the UK.

Global economy faces grim outlook - World Bank

Getty Images

Meanwhile, the World Bank has said the global economy faces a "grim outlook", as the aftershocks of the pandemic continue to weigh on growth, especially in poor countries.

The organisation's latest forecast predicts global growth will slow to 4.1% this year from 5.5% in 2021.

It attributes the slowdown to virus threats, government aid unwinding and an initial rebound in demand fading.

But World Bank President David Malpass says his greatest worry is widening global inequality.

"The big drag is the inequality that's built into the system," he tells the BBC, noting that poorer countries are especially vulnerable to economic damage from efforts to fight inflation.

"The outlook for the weaker countries is still to fall further and further behind. That causes insecurity."

Read more here.

WATCH: MP breaks down over mother-in-law's lockdown death

DUP MP Jim Shannon breaks down in Commons

There were tears in the Commons earlier as DUP MP Jim Shannon put his question to the government minister.

He told Parliament how his mother-in-law had died alone with Covid during the pandemic and said the government must ensure "full and complete disclosure" over the Downing Street party claims.

Read the full story here.

Johnson should resign over No 10 lockdown party - Sturgeon

PA Media

We've got a bit more now from Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who calls on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign over news of the bring-your-own-booze Downing Street garden party during lockdown.

She tells MSPs that people are "aghast" at Downing Street's behaviour, which appears to show "serial breaches of guidance" that the public followed despite the "painful sacrifices" involved.

Accusing Johnson of "not being truthful" about his knowledge of events, she argues the office of prime minister and UK interests would be "greatly enhanced" by his resignation.

Hundreds of Covid fines issued in week of drinks party

Getty Images

In the week of the drinks party at No 10 Downing Street, the police handed out hundreds of fines to people for breaking coronavirus laws.

The latest police data shows there were 807 fixed penalty notices in the week between 15 and 21 May 2020 for Covid law breaches in England and Wales.

Most of these would have related to people breaking rules on gatherings and movement.

At the time, people couldn't leave their homes without a reasonable excuse, such as work, exercise and getting things like food and medicine.

The police in England could fine people £100 for a first offence, which could then double for each further offence up to a maximum of £3,200.

Which events are being examined by the inquiry?

We've heard a number of people this morning refer to the independent inquiry into Downing Street lockdown parties that's being led by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

She was appointed to head up the inquiry after Simon Case, the UK's top civil servant, stepped aside from the role following reports a party was held in his office while London was under Covid rules.

Boris Johnson announced an inquiry would be carried out at the beginning of last month, after a video from last year emerged of government staff joking about a party that took place on 18 December - a day on which more than 400 Covid deaths were reported.

Which events is the inquiry investigating?

• 15 May: A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said, "those people were at work talking about work".20 May: About 100 people were invited by email to "socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening". Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended. Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he was there.
• 27 November: A No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, left Downing Street marked by an event. Sources said it was not formally organised, but people were having drinks and Johnson made a speech.
• 10 December: The Department for Education confirmed it had a gathering in the office to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. Drinks and snacks were brought along and no outside guests or support staff were invited
• 15 December: A Christmas quiz, first reported by the Daily Mirror, took place for No 10 staff with invites sent out in advance via email. Johnson took part virtually, sitting between two colleagues in No 10 last year - while indoor household mixing was banned in London
• 18 December: The now infamous Downing Street Christmas party took place on this date, as first reported by the Daily Mirror. A source told the BBC there was food, drinks and games at the gathering that went on past midnight

A full list of reported government lockdown parties can be found here.

PM has to go if he broke own Covid law - Campbell

BBC

Labour’s former director of communications, Alastair Campbell, is the latest to add his voice to calls for the prime minister to consider his position.

He tells BBC News if Boris Johnson is found to have broken his “own law” in relation to Covid restrictions “his position is untenable” and “he has to go”.

Campbell - who was a key aide to Tony Blair - says he’s “surprised” at the “reluctance of the police” to get involved in any of the previous allegations of gatherings that took place in Downing Street in 2020.

They now being investigated by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

Campbell believes "the police have to get involved now” because he says there has been “a crime in the garden of Downing Street”.

Only five mourners allowed at WW2 codebreaker's funeral in May 2020

Andy Mitchell

The son of a Bletchley Park codebreaker whose funeral was held on the same day as lockdown drinks in Downing Street is the latest to share his shock at the claims, saying he’s "totally gobsmacked".

Ann Mitchell, who was part of a World War Two code-breaking team, died in May 2020, aged 97, after testing positive for Covid.

Her son, Andy Mitchell, said just five people attended her funeral in Edinburgh.

He added that they had a “quick chat” afterwards before returning home, with "no drinks in the garden or anything like that".

What else did Nicola Sturgeon say about Covid rules?

As we just mentioned, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that attendance limits on live outdoor events in Scotland will end on Monday.

In her Covid update to MSPs at Holyrood, she also announced:

• The Covid certification scheme will be expanded, with organisers of large events of 1,000 or more people set to be required to check the certification status of at least 50% of attendees (up from the 20% previously required) or at least 1,000 people - whichever figure is higher
• From Monday, the definition of fully vaccinated for Covid certification purposes will change to include having a booster if the second dose was more than four months ago. The NHS Scotland Covid status app will be updated from Thursday so that its QR code includes evidence of booster vaccination
• Rules requiring face coverings and working from home will remain in place, as will advice to limit contact with other households and limit the number of households gathering indoors to a maximum of three
• Scotland's restrictions will be reviewed again next week, when the cabinet meet to look at the Covid data

The first minister says she hopes the cabinet will decide to lift more restrictions - including on indoor live events, table service in hospitality and distancing in indoor public places - from 24 January.

Sturgeon says, as these measures are lifted, it will be necessary to consider whether the use of vaccine passports may have to be extended.

PM will 'inevitably' have to go - Tory council leader

Antony Mullen, leader of the Conservatives on Sunderland Council, says he does not see how the prime minister can survive these latest allegations.

He described claims that Boris Johnson's private secretary, Martin Reynolds, invited about 100 No 10 staff members to a "bring-your-own-booze" garden party in May 2020 as "absolutely appalling".

"I think Martin Reynolds should have been sacked and I think Boris Johnson will inevitably have to follow him," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme.

Mullen added that he believed an investigation into Downing Street parties would now likely find that Johnson misled the Commons.

BreakingLimits on live outdoor event numbers in Scotland to end on Monday

Getty Images

Restrictions on attendance levels at live outdoor events in Scotland will be removed from next Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirms.

The move will allow fans to return to stadiums when the Scottish Premiership's winter break ends.

It will also avoid Scotland's Six Nations rugby matches having to be played behind closed doors at Murrayfield.

A limit of 500 people at outdoor events has been in place since Boxing Day.

Speaking to MSPs at Holyrood, Sturgeon says there are some signs Scotland is "starting to turn the corner" on the Omicron variant spike, while the nation's latest Covid figures gave grounds for "encouragement".

Up to 30,000 positive cases a day are being recorded, almost half the initial projection of 50,000 per day, she says.

She cautions there are still "uncertainties" in the data to be addressed, including the impact of the post-Christmas return to work and school.

But she says we do know that high case numbers are disrupting the economy and critical services, while the NHS remains under "severe pressure".