And leaked recording shows they're all at it.

SENIOR Downing Street staff cracked jokes about a rulebreaking Christmas party at No10 four days after it was said to have taken place on December 18, a leaked recording reveals.

- RACHEL WEARMOUTH

Officials can be heard laughing as Boris Johnson's spokeswoman Allegra Stratton jested about it being a "business meeting".

The recording, passed to ITV News, is of a rehearsal for planned daily TV media briefings that Ms Stratton was supposed to host, but which the PM later scrapped.

Ed Oldfield, adviser to the PM, said: "I've seen reports on Twitter that there was a Downing Street Christmas party on Friday night, do you recognise those reports?"