Tories’ ‘minglegate’ party ahead of 19-week holiday ban ‘makes my blood boil’, says top travel boss

Exclusive: ‘I only hope that lessons have been well and truly learnt,’ says Julia Lo Bue-Said

All welcome: invitation to the ‘Minglegate’ Christmas party at CCHQ in December 2020 ( )

Leading travel industry figures have deplored the “Jingle & Mingle” party at Conservative Campaign HQ on 14 December 2020 – which took place as ministers were preparing for an unprecedented total ban on international leisure travel.

The 19-week prohibition on overseas holidays and family visits abroad took effect on 6 January 2021 and lasted until 17 May.

On the day the international travel ban was introduced as a measure to counter Covid, the-then prime minister, Boris Johnson, told Parliament: “We must once again stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”

Yet at the same time as the law banning holidays was being drawn up, Conservative party workers ignored the prevailing ban on Christmas gatherings – as the “Minglegate” video shows.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, told The Independent: “The latest revelations of what was taking place behind the closed doors of government during Covid, at a time when individuals and businesses were facing a time of great personal struggle and challenge, makes my blood boil.

“The UK outbound travel industry was one of the most impacted sectors during Covid with international travel pretty much shut down, with many wondering if it would ever come back.

“Had we had better ministerial representation at the time, and had our industry been better understood as a major economic driver, it may well have been that some of the decisions made back then could have been diverted.

“Fortunately, our sector has made a strong recovery and as we can look forward. I only hope that lessons have been well and truly learnt and that this type of behaviour never happens again.”

Another travel figure Paul Goldstein – adventure guide, photographer and co-owner of a Kenyan safari camp – deplored what he called the “jingle, mingle and Pringles” event.

He said: “Whilst Johnson’s acolytes, now anointed with scandalous honours, were flagrantly flouting their own rules, they were also about to introduce the ludicrous ban on international travel. This policy, based on neither science nor geography, caused huge individual and economic harm – and the travel industry is still suffering.”

The Christmas gathering, which is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, was for staff involved in the London mayoral campaign of Shaun Bailey.

It was not connected with government departments involved in the decision to ban international travel, including the Department for Transport and No 10.

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “Senior CCHQ staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of 14 December 2020.

”Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”