UK PM sorry for staff joking about lockdown party

Britain could implement tougher COVID-19 measures as soon as Thursday to try to slow the Omicron variant.

Reports indicate that Prime Minister Boris Johnson could announce so-called Plan B measures, which include home working and vaccine passports for large venues.

The news comes as Johnson faces a backlash after a video surfaced showing senior Downing Street staff laughing about holding a Christmas Party during lockdown.

The video, leaked to the UK's ITV on Tuesday (December 7), dates from December 22, 2020.

It shows Johnson's staff, including his former press secretary Allegra Stratton, holding a mock press conference, joking and laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party "on Friday night", when such festivities were banned.

Stratton has now resigned from her current role as a government spokesperson.

Johnson has faced questions and criticism since the Daily Mirror newspaper reported last week there were many social gatherings at his 10 Downing Street office over the Christmas period.

At the time, tens of millions of people were banned from meeting close family and friends to celebrate - or even bidding farewell to dying relatives.

Before it was released, Johnson said he was satisfied no lockdown restrictions had been broken.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (8 December), Johnson apologised for the video.

"Mr Speaker, I apologise, I apologise unreservedly for the offence it has caused up and down the country and I apologise for the impression that it gives, but I repeat, Mr Speaker, that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no COVID rules were broken and that is what I have been repeatedly assured."

He also ordered an inquiry and said disciplinary action would be taken if the rules were broken.