Tory MP Tobias Ellwood broke Covid rules, says home secretary

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood broke Covid rules by giving a speech at a dinner in London, the home secretary has said.

Mr Ellwood had defended his "well-intentioned attendance" at the event, saying it was "fully Covid compliant".

He said he was sorry coverage of it had "muddled the government's clear message as we head towards Christmas".

But home secretary Priti Patel said he had broken the rules and suggested he could face a fine.

Asked about Mr Ellwood's actions, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "I would point you to the home secretary's words.

"The PM has been clear throughout the pandemic that it's vital for everybody to abide by the rules in order to suppress the virus and therefore protect the NHS and save lives."

The Iraq Britain Business Council reception, on Tuesday, took place a day before London entered tier three.

It was initially described as a "Christmas dinner" on the council's website but its president, Tory peer Baroness Nicholson, later said it was a business event.

Asked by ITV News if Mr Ellwood's attendance was a breach of the rules, Ms Patel said: "Well, it is. Of course it is exactly that.

"Having dinner outside of the rules with a large number of people is a breach of the regulations."

Asked if there should be a punishment, Ms Patel said: "There are fixed penalty notices. I don't know the details as to where this happened or the location, but I'm sure, as it is a breach, that will be followed up."

The government's tier two guidance states that "gatherings for work purposes are only allowed where they are reasonably necessary".

Mr Ellwood, who chairs the Commons defence committee, attended the event the day after telling MPs that allowing families to meet over Christmas for five days "could be very dangerous indeed".

He urged Health Secretary Matt Hancock to review the policy "so we don't begin the new year with a third wave".

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Mr Ellwood said he did not know the event had been advertised as a Christmas party when he accepted the invitation.

This was "absolutely a business dinner" following the Covid guidelines, he said.

He explained everyone had been more than two metres apart during the event, at which he had learned a lot about the current situation in Iraq and the Middle East.

"I did this because I make an effort to understand what's going on around the world. If I had the choice between going home to play Lego or this, I know where I'd prefer to be," he said.

But he said he accepted his decision to attend would be criticised.

"Perceptions count and I'm really, really sorry that this coverage of a well-intentioned attendance may have muddied the government's clear message as we head towards Christmas," he added.

Asked if he was considering his position as chair of the defence committee, he denied breaching the rules.

"But it's the interpretation which I fully appreciate is very different indeed and perception counts - particularly people with a profile. I've been critical and have been vocal about this," he said.

On the matter of a fine, he said Ms Patel needed to speak to the venue first, then "let's have a conversation".

The Daily Mail, which first reported Mr Ellwood's attendance at the event, said there had been 27 guests.

London moved from tier two to tier three on Wednesday morning.

Mr Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, told the BBC he had not been present for the whole event and that he had contacted the venue in advance to confirm it was Covid secure.

Other guests at the reception included a delegation from the Iraqi Embassy.

One of the original photographs appeared to show some attendees standing in small groups taking part in a drinks reception.

The rules for tier two state that alcohol at venues should be served as part of a substantial meal or with table service.

Baroness Nicholson told the BBC that once she became aware that the event have been described as a "party" she immediately asked for it to be clarified.

She stressed it was an important business function.

Asked why it had initially been labelled as a "Christmas dinner" and "party" on the organisation's website, she said: "I think someone was trying to be cheerful".

In a statement on its website, the IBBC said "working with the venue this event was fully Covid compliant".