Moorlands MP Karen Bradley has today (Wednesday 8th December) reacted to reports that Covid restrictions were broken last Christmas at a party in Downing Street.

The Daily Mirror first reported last week that a party took place in Downing Street last December.

Downing Street insisted that no party took place, while the Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he was "repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken".

But today the Prime Minister's Press Secretary Allegra Stratton resigned after a video was leaked from a mock press conference in which she was recorded joking about the party.

Now Moorlands MP Karen Bradley has given her thoughts on the developments, saying she shares the disappointment of many of her constituents on the matter.

Read her comments in full below:

"Many of my constituents have contacted me over the last few days, shocked and disappointed about the reports that lockdown rules were breached last year at a party in Downing Street. I share that disappointment.

"I have always been proud of how Moorlanders reacted to the very many restrictions that have been imposed to help us to fight the Covid pandemic. I joined so many in getting vaccinated as soon as I could and then my booster more recently. We did this not just to protect ourselves but also others.

"I know the sacrifices that people made – particularly last Christmas – missing out on seeing loved ones – following the rules that they trusted had been put in place for good reason.

"I thought it went without saying that those that make the rules must abide by them. That is true of leaders and those that advise them. Last year my team and I held our Christmas get together virtually. Given the tightened restrictions that have been imposed following the Omicron variant, we will not get together as a team in person this year.

"If those in authority flout the rules, we will all ask why we should have faith in them. We need to find out urgently what happened so that the Government can regain the trust and goodwill of people who want to do the right thing."