Pressure piling on Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson over a lockdown-breaking Christmas Party at Downing Street was compounded as it emerged his press chief attended the gathering.
Mr Johnson’s authority has been dealt a serious blow by the scandal which has so far resulted in one resignation amid a continuing investigation.
It coincides with a potential rebellion from dozens of his MPs over tougher Covid-19 restrictions, as well as a row over the funding of refurbishment at his Downing Street flat.
It was claimed on Thursday night that Jack Doyle, the Conservative prime minister’s director of communications, attended the bash on December 18 when Covid restrictions prohibited social gatherings.
He is said to have made a speech to as many as 30 members of the press team and handed out gifts at the party, where food and drink was served.
Revellers partied into the early hours of the morning, according to the BBC.
The latest development in the Number 10 party saga piles more pressure on Mr Johnson to provide answers to questions which have been asked since the story broke last week.
Mr Johnson had repeatedly denied any party took place in Downing Street, saying coronavirus guidelines are followed at all times. But after a leaked video showed his then press secretary joking about the celebrations he said he was “furious” and “sickened”, and ordered his cabinet secretary to investigate the matter.
Allegra Stratton, his former press secretary turned spokeswoman for Cop26, tearfully apologised to the British public for laughing about social distancing rules and resigned from the post on Wednesday.
The scandal surrounding the refurbishment of Mr Johnson’s 11 Downing Street flat is proving to be another thorn in his side and on Thursday the Conservative Party was fined £17,800 for breaking the rules on reporting donations.
The penalty levied by the Electoral Commission came after an internal investigation conducted by Lord Geidt, the prime minister’s standards adviser, into the matter.
Lord Geidt was reportedly on the verge of resigning on Thursday night amid concerns he had been misled by Mr Johnson. The Telegraph said he was planning to quit if Mr Johnson failed to satisfactorily explain why he did not share vital evidence with him when he investigated the donations earlier this year.
A recent YouGov poll conducted for The Times showed backing for the Conservatives had plummeted to its lowest level in almost a year as voters grow ever more frustrated with the ruling party.
The poll showed support was down by three points to 33 per cent — the lowest rate recorded since January. Labour was up four points at 37 per cent.
Former Conservative MP Gavin Barwell, now known as Lord Barwell, who served as ex-prime minister Theresa May’s chief of staff, warned that any defence claiming Number 10 parties were merely weekly staff gatherings with some cheese and wine thrown in would probably “struggle as an explanation” for rule-breaking.
“It might have been possible if the government’s immediate reaction to the allegation had been to set out exactly what happened and use that defence,” he told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Lord Barwell said there is “genuine anger” among the public over the “hugely toxic” allegations.
He said he found it “very distressing” that his mother had to spend Christmas Day alone due to Covid restrictions and said the party suggested there were “different rules for the people making the rules than the rest of us”.
Mr Johnson announced England would be moving to “Plan B” Covid restrictions late on Wednesday, a move which critics dismissed as a distraction tactic.
Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani, vice chairwoman of the 1922 committee, said she had serious concerns over the new set of measures. The latest round of rules mean face masks will be required in some indoor public places, people will have to work from home if possible, and vaccine passports will be required at large events.
She said the mood in parliament is “not good” and that it was “not easy to listen to” the health secretary lay out the rules.
“I’m yet to see how the facts stack up,” Ms Ghani told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“We’re asking people to take action which in my constituency of East Sussex will have a huge impact, not only on the economy but that means people’s livelihoods, but I’m also anxious what that means to people’s access to other health care.
She said she fears the government has failed to take into account the impact the new curbs could have on people’s mental and physical health and their jobs.
If Mr Johnson fails to get enough votes from MPs in his own party, he will have to rely on support from the opposition Labour Party to get his Plan B measures through parliament.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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