Plan B: Boris Johnson defends Covid measures amid leaked No 10 Christmas party video

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the tightening Covid measures amid a row over leaked footage in which Downing Street staff joke about a Christmas party they claimed never happened.

Boris Johnson paid tribute to his former Press Secretary, Allegra Stratton, who resigned over the incident and committed to an inquiry.

He told the press briefing: 'I repeat what I said in the House and earlier today, the Cabinet Secretary will conduct an inquiry into what took place on December the 18th.'

Mr Johnson went on: 'I think the British public can see the vital importance of the medical instruction that we’re giving.'

The Prime Minister said there was “no excuse” for the video, in which No 10 aides joked about an alleged lockdown party.

However, he added that Allegra Stratton had been a “fine colleague”.

“Allegra Stratton has resigned and I wanted to pay tribute to her because she has been, in spite of what everybody has seen, and again, I make no excuses for the frivolity with which the subject was handled in that rehearsal that people saw in that clip,” the Prime Minister told a press briefing.

“There can be no excuse for it. I can totally understand how infuriating it was.

“But I want to say that Allegra has been a fine colleague, has achieved a great deal in her time in Government, and was a particularly effective spokesman for Cop26 – she coined the coal, cars, cash, trees agenda and helped to marshal and rally the world behind the agreement.

“If you’ll forgive me, I wanted to say that because it is a sad day for her, as well as an infuriating event for many people around the county.”