The Conversation (0)
News
Breanna Robinson
Dec 08, 2021
Number 10 advisor Allegra Stratton gave a tearful resignation statement after she was seen in a video making a joke about a lockdown Christmas party - and people on Twitter are divided.
“I tried to do right by you all, to behave with civility and decency and act to the high standards you expect of Number 10,” Allegra said.
“I understand the anger and frustration that people feel; to all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses - I am truly sorry,” she continued before adding that she was offering her resignation to prime minister Boris Johnson.
@BBCPolitics "I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days" Allegra Stratton gives a tearful statement as… https://t.co/1zNDtwJ4qK— BBC Breaking News (@BBC Breaking News) 1638979236
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
Despite this, some people on Twitter believe that Stratton was being made a scapegoat, and wondered why Johnson didn’t resign instead.
Not nice comments from Allegra Stratton of course, doesn’t take away being part of it but sure I’ve said things in… https://t.co/7Jp47JVFmc— R Y L A N (@R Y L A N) 1638979336
@Rylan She has been made a scapegoat. She’s been targeted for a comment in a training video but those responsible… https://t.co/Dq8D70EPkx— Rocky Boxer Junior (@Rocky Boxer Junior) 1638979599
It should’ve been Boris Johnson making this statement. Demand it. https://t.co/hQ1RK7vy2m— George Aylett (@George Aylett) 1638986082
I think that @AllegraCOP26 is essentially a decent person who may have been conned out of a good career into defend… https://t.co/VahnPLulmR— Chris Rennard 🔶💙 (@Chris Rennard 🔶💙) 1638982143
I said this when May ditched Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill and repeat it now as Dominic Cummings spills the beans and… https://t.co/o7Stl4GgTN— Jeremy Cliffe (@Jeremy Cliffe) 1638983584
I'm as angry about that video as everyone else but why is Allegra Stratton being made the scapegoat for the No10 pa… https://t.co/77Xe89Fr1D— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@Julia Hartley-Brewer) 1638983767
Don’t let her be the fall woman for this, hold them accountable https://t.co/O53VsDaC8Q— Iris✨ (@Iris✨) 1638982511
The way Tories sacrifice their own to survive is actually funny. https://t.co/bcIkHixmSm— Lateef (@Lateef) 1638982139
Allegra Stratton is not the problem. Whilst utterly foreseeable - this resignation solves nothing. https://t.co/1GyHh6tmAG— Simon McCoy (@Simon McCoy) 1638990114
Others didn’t seem to believe Stratton’s apology, with some saying her sorrow was an example of crocodile tears:
@BBCBreaking @nickeardleybbc @BBCPolitics If she actually cared she'd have stated there was a Christmas Party, she… https://t.co/gtgbltMqmJ— Laurie Calverley (@Laurie Calverley) 1638980621
Crocodile tears while you cry me a river! Allegra Stratton the now former Downing Street Press Secretary delivers… https://t.co/Av3pjfNBb1— Gillian McKeith (@Gillian McKeith) 1638984536
@BBCBreaking @BBCPolitics She laughed while joking about a pandemic that’s killed people? She’s crying because she… https://t.co/J1ldAUwWcX— Hannah (@Hannah) 1638979445
@BBCBreaking @BBCPolitics Shanene Thorpe, the young working woman Allegra Stratton humiliated, belittled, and misre… https://t.co/h2sirLcwsg— Cromwell (@Cromwell) 1638981000
@BBCBreaking @BBCPolitics Oh dear. How sad. Never mind. Anyway, that's the starters done, onto the main course, please.— Concerned Citizen (@Concerned Citizen) 1638979645
@Rylan Shes earning millions laughing and joking with journalists about having parties while people are saying good… https://t.co/mTs6Kw8U3U— Briony (@Briony) 1638979870
Ok but *why* will you regret them? Will you regret what you said, or what it cost you? https://t.co/HSdSy9yc2x— keewa (@keewa) 1638991021
She regrets. She’s sorry. Yes. That she got caught. Nothing more. https://t.co/o5lNi08JhX— Elleneff (@Elleneff) 1638983943
half the speech is bragging about her achievements. how out of touch are they? nobody gives a shit. https://t.co/EIpi5x9HUB— Anthony Shawcross (@Anthony Shawcross) 1638982010
The only reason this yin is greetin is because she was caught. Bottom line, she laughed while people were dying. S… https://t.co/0ysaO7WNEq— Don Guillerme (Boswell)🇧🇷🏴 (@Don Guillerme (Boswell)🇧🇷🏴) 1638981929
Footage had emerged of Stratton, who was the press secretary at the time, joking with fellow Downing Street staff about a Christmas party. This was just days after Number 10’s alleged festive party in December 2020.
Johnson has apologised for the incident and has requested an investigation into the claims. He also told MPs he was “furious” about the video appearing to show aides laughing.
Johnson had repeatedly insisted that the rules in Downing Street were followed since the claims first emerged. But at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons, he said he based that stance on the assurance from junior staff.