NORTH East MPs have called for “clarification” from Boris Johnson and Number 10 over the alleged Christmas party, and others have stressed “they completely understand the anger felt.”

Darlington’s MP Peter Gibson said the news was "appaling" and other North East MPs have issued a statement after the PM Boris Johnson “apologised unreservedly” over the video.

Read more: Darlington's MP declines to comment on Downing Street Christmas party scandal

The leaked footage from Number 10s £2.6m press briefing room showed former press secretary Allegra Stratton laughing about an alleged Christmas party during the peak of lockdown last December.

Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar said that if the rumours were true it would be “clearly unacceptable”, and reaffirmed that “the law applies to everybody.”

He said: "The revelations that staff in Downing Street held a party, if true, are clearly unacceptable.

“It’s right that the Prime Minister has now launched an investigation to establish the facts and has stated that disciplinary action will follow for any of those who broke the rules.

"The law applies to everybody and I completely understand the anger felt by many. I know from my own experience how hard last year was not seeing loved ones in their dying breath.

“We must never be in that position again.”

North West Durham MP Richard Holden called for “clarification” from Boris Johnson and said he had “no knowledge of specific events.”

He agreed that what has been alleged was “quite unacceptable”, and said his constituents followed the rules and deserved “extra clarification on what exactly took place and when.”

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Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, said the Prime Minister was “right to apologise” and has called for an investigation.

He said: “As more information has come to light, it has become clear to me that rules may have been broken at a time when the public were asked to make significant sacrifices.

“This is clearly unacceptable and the Prime Minister was absolutely right to apologise and to ask Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary to investigate.

“In my view, this investigation should also consider who knew what and when, and the results if this investigation should be made public.

“On the basis that people should be assumed innocent until proven guilty we should wait the outcome of this investigation.”

Read more: Watch moment Downing Street staff LAUGH about party - as Boris Johnson under fire

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