A Dorset MP has called on the government to 'take seriously' the criticism over the alleged Downing Street Christmas party.

Bournemouth MP Tobias Ellwood was speaking this morning after footage was obtained by ITV News, showing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s then-press secretary Allegra Stratton and adviser Ed Oldfield, along with other aides, laughing about a “fictional” Downing Street party in December 2020.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, the Bournemouth East Conservative MP said: "We need to get ahead of this story today, the government need to show it takes it seriously.

"It's understandable they want to focus on this coming Christmas rather than the last one given the Omicron variant.."

As well as Health Secretary Sajid Javid pulling out of national interviews in the wake of the Downing Street party video, vaccines minister Maggie Throup is understood to have pulled out of a planned round of regional television interviews.

The Conservative Party leader will be under the spotlight at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, with his opposite number likely to grill Mr Johnson for a second week running about what happened in Downing Street on December 18 last year.

Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, said the leaked video of senior aides laughing about a “cheese and wine” evening indicates that the Prime Minister has “not been straight” about claims of a festive get-together, with some reports claiming it featured alcohol and “secret Santa” present-giving.

Mr Johnson could even face uncomfortable questions from his own backbenches, with veteran Conservative Sir Roger Gale declaring that the situation bore “all the hallmarks of another ‘Barnard Castle’ moment” – a reference to the Prime Minister’s former aide driving 260 miles during strict lockdown conditions last year.

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