Shaun Bailey apologises ‘unreservedly’ for lockdown-breaking Number 10 party
Former Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has quit a top committee role in the London Assembly, after being accused of breaking lockdown last Christmas to party in Number 10.
Bailey, who is one of nine Conservatives on the 25-member London Assembly, will no longer sit as chair of the body’s Police and Crime Committee effective immediately.
MyLondon reports that he quit the role after more than a week of pressure from Labour members of the assembly.
The Times reported last week that a party was held for Bailey and his campaign staff in Downing Street last year at the same time London was under strict Covid restrictions.
On Twitter earlier today, Bailey wrote: “I want to apologise unreservedly for attending a gathering held by some of my staff in my campaign office last December.
“I gave a speech to my team to thank them for their efforts, before leaving shortly afterwards.
“It was a serious error of judgement at a time when Londoners were making immense sacrifices to keep us all safe and I regret it wholeheartedly.”
It was reported that the raucous get together saw a door broken and a lego set given as a gift to Bailey from a Tory donor.
A Conservative London Assembly spokesperson said: “He does not want an unauthorised social gathering involving some former members of the London mayoral campaign team last December to distract from the committee’s important work holding the mayor of London to account.
“He will continue to speak up for Londoners who no longer feel safe in our city and push for a strategy to tackle the disproportionate level of crime in London’s black community.”