A lowly Downing Street official falls for a breach of Covid rules but no Northern Ireland minister does for worse

A letter from Samuel Morrison:
By Letters
Published 10th Dec 2021, 11:37 BST
Updated 10th Dec 2021, 15:04 BST
Contrast between the Bobby Storey funeral breach of Covid mass gathering rules, for which no-one in Sinn Fein was reprimanded or resigned, and the tearful and apologetic resignation of Allegra Stratton for her approach to a Downing Street Christmas Party that was allegedly held in breach of Covid restrictionsContrast between the Bobby Storey funeral breach of Covid mass gathering rules, for which no-one in Sinn Fein was reprimanded or resigned, and the tearful and apologetic resignation of Allegra Stratton for her approach to a Downing Street Christmas Party that was allegedly held in breach of Covid restrictions
Contrast between the Bobby Storey funeral breach of Covid mass gathering rules, for which no-one in Sinn Fein was reprimanded or resigned, and the tearful and apologetic resignation of Allegra Stratton for her approach to a Downing Street Christmas Party that was allegedly held in breach of Covid restrictions

Whatever you think of Allegra Stratton it is interesting that she went within 24 hours of a video of her comments becoming public.

In Northern Ireland, we had government ministers who travelled to a mass breach of Covid restrictions.

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They did this in full view of the television cameras on the very day legislation on coronavirus was being debated in the Stormont assembly.

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Letter to the editor

Some of them were taken to the funeral in ministerial cars.

There followed a debate in the assembly, a police investigation and multiple reports — all of which ultimately ended up with no one being held accountable.

No one reprimanded.

No resignations.

In Northern Ireland, government ministers travelled to a mass breach of Covid restrictions at the Bobby Storey funeral in full view of TV cameras on the very day legislation on coronavirus was being debated in Stormont. No one was reprimanded. No resignationsIn Northern Ireland, government ministers travelled to a mass breach of Covid restrictions at the Bobby Storey funeral in full view of TV cameras on the very day legislation on coronavirus was being debated in Stormont. No one was reprimanded. No resignations
In Northern Ireland, government ministers travelled to a mass breach of Covid restrictions at the Bobby Storey funeral in full view of TV cameras on the very day legislation on coronavirus was being debated in Stormont. No one was reprimanded. No resignations

No one shamed from public office.

We were all asked to believe that this should simply be put behind us.

Some of those most damning in their criticism of a lowly Downing Street press apparatchik were the most eager to brush a much worse scandal under the carpet when it came to Northern Ireland.

Samuel Morrison, TUV, Dromore, Co Down

In contrast to Belfast where there was no consequence for the flagrant breach at the Bobby Storey funeral, in London an apologetic and tearful Allegra Stratton resigned as an adviser to Boris Johnson and offered her "profound apologies" after footage emerged of her and Downing Street aides apparently joking about a Christmas party held during last year's lockdownIn contrast to Belfast where there was no consequence for the flagrant breach at the Bobby Storey funeral, in London an apologetic and tearful Allegra Stratton resigned as an adviser to Boris Johnson and offered her "profound apologies" after footage emerged of her and Downing Street aides apparently joking about a Christmas party held during last year's lockdown
In contrast to Belfast where there was no consequence for the flagrant breach at the Bobby Storey funeral, in London an apologetic and tearful Allegra Stratton resigned as an adviser to Boris Johnson and offered her "profound apologies" after footage emerged of her and Downing Street aides apparently joking about a Christmas party held during last year's lockdown

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Related topics:Northern IrelandDowning StreetBen Lowry