UK Government ministers have opted for a media blackout following damning revelations about Christmas-time events on Downing Street last year.

Leaked footage from No 10’s £2.6 million press briefing room, which emerged on Monday night, showed former press secretary Allegra Stratton laughing as she appeared to rehearse answers to questions over a lockdown-busting Christmas party.

The video, which is reported to be from December 22 last year, refers to a party on “Friday” – which would have been December 18, the same day The Daily Mirror reported there was a staff party where games were played, food and drinks were served, and revelries went on past midnight.

No 10 initially did not say the reports were inaccurate but said all rules had been followed, before later denying any party had taken place.

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Shortly after ITV published the video, Tory ministers called off media appearances on the morning broadcast round.

No Cabinet minister was offered to represent the Government on Tuesday morning, and there are now doubts about whether a suggested press conference to mark one year since the first coronavirus vaccine was delivered will go ahead.

As well as Health Secretary Sajid Javid pulling out of national interviews, vaccines minister Maggie Throup is understood to have pulled out of a planned round of regional television interviews.

A video posted by Good Morning Britain host Ranvir Singh shows minister being “empty-chaired” on the ITV show, as well as BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4 and the Kay Burley show on Sky News.

As well as the public and opposition, the fresh revelations have sparked a backlash among Conservative MPs.

Sir Charles Walker, MP for Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, warned the UK Government would now find it “almost impossible” to introduce “very proscriptive” Covid-19 restrictions due to the saga.

He told Times Radio: “I think now that, going forward, any measures will be advisory. I think it would be very difficult to enshrine them in law and then once again ask our poor police forces to enforce them.”

The former 1922 Committee chair added: “To be very proscriptive about this now, particularly as we’ve had such a successful vaccine rollout … is much more difficult, and was always going to be much more difficult. And the events of the last 24 hours make it probably almost impossible now.”

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Chairman of the Commons Education Committee and Tory MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, said: “I certainly think that those who were doing the video should apologise for the insensitivity of it when people were suffering and struggling all through that time.”

But he stopped short of calling for the Prime Minister himself to apologise.

Tory peer and former Conservative Party chairwoman Sayeeda Warsi said all those present at any party should resign.

She tweeted: “Every minister, parliamentarian & staffer at the #downingstreetparty must resign NOW.

“No ifs no buts. The rule of law is a fundamental value, the glue that hold us together as a nation.

“Once that is trashed by those in power the very essence of our democracy is at stake.”

In response to ITV’s report, a Downing Street spokesman said: “There was no Christmas party. Covid rules have been followed at all times.”

Ministers are yet to explain how the alleged bash complied with the rules in place at the time, despite coming under pressure since an initial report in the Daily Mirror.

The newspaper said two events took place in No 10 in the run-up to the festive season last year, including Johnson giving a speech at a leaving do during November’s lockdown.

The other was said to be the staff party in December.

At the time, the Tier 3 rules explicitly banned work Christmas lunches and parties where it is “a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted”.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers are reviewing the leaked video in relation to “alleged breaches” of coronavirus regulations.