Responding to the video showing senior Number 10 figures laughing about last year’s Downing Street Christmas Party, Trafford’s Labour leader, Cllr Andrew Western, said: “In 2020, 419 Trafford residents died of Covid.

“Thousands missed special moments, a family Christmas, and in many cases lost the chance to say goodbye.

“Despite all of that, Trafford residents did the right thing and followed the rules.

“Now it is clear that not only did Boris Johnson’s Downing Street staff fail to follow the rules, they laughed about it and then they lied about it.

“They are laughing at every single person in this borough who did their best to help their community get through this terrible virus.

“And now they are lying to our faces again.

“Time and time again this government has let us down then lied to our faces.

“It is one rule for them, another for everyone else.”