Perthshire MP John Nicolson says a new partygate video has opened up “painful memories” of being unable to visit his mum in her dying days.
The SNP politician – whose mother Marion died alone in a respite centre with Covid restrictions stopping her son from seeing her in the last eight weeks of her life – described the footage of Tory staffers partying at the height of lockdown as “sickening”.
In the clip unearthed by The Mirror, staff can be seen celebrating at the Christmas event at Conservative Party headquarters and joking about breaking the rules.
The party is said to have taken place on December 14, 2020 when indoor socialising was banned.
Mr Nicolson, 61, has accused those involved of “mocking” the public.
He told The Courier: “I wasn’t able to see my mum during the last eight weeks of her life.
“Doctors in the respite centre where she lay told me that they couldn’t risk me bringing Covid in and infecting other vulnerable patients.
“In the end, and in despair, my mum stopped eating and drinking and died alone.
“We weren’t able to have a funeral with her wider family and friends.
“Like the vast majority of people we sacrificed to keep others safe. Watching these pictures opens up painful memories all yet again.
“These people were mocking the rest of us.
“And as if that’s not bad enough Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are now choosing to ‘honour’ some of those in the video.
“It is deplorable. Where is their shame or sense of decency?”
‘Died through loneliness’
The MP for Ochil and South Perthshire was reduced to tears in the Commons last year after he described the pain of losing his mum to dementia during the pandemic.
During an emotional backbench debate on dementia research, he recalled how many people died not directly from Covid but “died through loneliness”.
The SNP politician previously told The Courier how he felt he had let his mum down by not being able to visit her during this period.
He said: “I feel a huge sense of responsibility, and I feel too that I am letting her down, even though I know I have no other choice.”
In an emotional tribute on June 5, 2020, shortly after her death, he said his mum could “light up a room”.
He added: “She was engaged, loving and warm.”
My darling Mum died overnight. We are heartbroken not least since she died alone. We haven’t been able to see her since lockdown. I spoke to her yesterday and her dementia seemed to have receded. She was engaged, loving and warm. I can’t imagine life without her. pic.twitter.com/I9Ug0Db5n3
— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) June 5, 2020
The video of the party, attended by failed London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and Tory aide Ben Mallett – who will receive a peerage and OBE respectively – has reignited criticism of Boris Johnson’s honours list.
Mr Bailey reportedly left the event before the video was taken and has previously apologised for his involvement.
‘Terrible’
Michael Gove told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg show on Sunday that the Tories who attended the Covid-era gathering should not be stripped of their honours.
The Levelling Up Secretary said the former prime minister has a right to confer resignation appointments which should not be blocked.
But he admitted to Sky News earlier that day that the event was “terrible”.
He added: “I think it’s completely out of order.”
EXCLUSIVE: First ever Partygate video revealed as Tories drink, dance and laugh at Covid rulespic.twitter.com/vIHbuIqWWf
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 17, 2023
In the footage, one attendee can be heard joking about Covid restrictions, saying: “As long as we don’t stream that we’re, like, bending the rules” before laughing while a man and woman hold hands and dance.
The pair crash into a buffet table stacked with food and wine glasses at one point while other guests walk past wearing paper crowns and clutching alcoholic drinks.
The Metropolitan Police, which previously launched an investigation over the event after a picture of the gathering was published but took no further action, is now assessing the video.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We are aware of the footage and are considering it.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Senior CCHQ staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of December 14, 2020.
“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”
