U.K. official Allegra Stratton resigns over leaked Christmas party jokes that left Johnson 'sickened' and 'furious'

U.K. government spokeswoman Allegra Stratton resigned from her post Wednesday morning following backlash to a leaked a video in which the then-press secretary jokes about holding an alleged Christmas party in the face of 2020 lockdown restrictions, BBC News reports. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had, for the last week, been denying reports that such a party took place, but his story "appeared to weaken" when the suggestive video surfaced late Tuesday, writes The New York Times.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Brigid Kennedy

Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.