Ex-journalist seen laughing at
Christmas party question is said to have been PM’s pick for the roleToday’s politics news – live updatesAllegra Stratton was supposed to help revolutionise
UK government communications when she was appointed to host a daily White House-style press conference from Downing Street.
![How Allegra Stratton’s struggles kept press briefing project off air](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/5ddfaeddfc72c2b4996d971e2876ce7951f3ac92/0_192_5760_3456/master/5760.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=662a7378976ad9278c8b81b707811583)
In the end, the public will get to see only one instance of Stratton standing on the podium of the purpose-built £2.6m briefing room – in a highly damaging leaked recording featuring her laughing at a question about No 10 holding an illegal Christmas party. The public outcry over the video – which led news bulletins and swiftly attracted tens of millions of views online – led to the 41-year-old’s tearful resignation from government on Wednesday afternoon.