This Morning’s Alison Hammond has slammed the attendees of the Downing Street and Whitehall parties, as she opened up about having to miss her father’s funeral in Jamaica at the time.
The This Morning star was left devastated by the loss of her father Clifford Hammond in 2020, just four months after her mum Maria died following a battle with liver and lung cancer.
She sat alongside co-host Dermot O’Leary to discuss the Partygate fines for attending law-breaking parties in Downing Street and Whitehall during the pandemic.
Co-host Dermot asked guest Tom Swarbrick at which point trust in the government will be “irreversibly lost”, which he said it “already has been”.
The LBC presenter added: “I think it's gone, but part of me wonders whether it was two years ago and a lot is happening with the cost of living crisis and Ukraine. It feels like a while ago, so to what extent does it matter?
“I think it's very hard to look at Boris Johnson and think he was misled over the rules, he didn’t understand them and he definitely hasn’t lied.”
Alison then cut in to say: “People will never forget the fact that they weren't allowed to go to funerals. You're never going to forget that pain.
“You'll remember what he did, but you'll never forget how he made you feel.”
She then emotionally added: “I wasn't able to go to my dad's funeral. So many people weren't allowed to see their families when they were dying. The trust for me has gone. I don’t know about everyone else.”
Detectives are investigating 12 lockdown-flouting gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall, including six events Boris Johnson is believed to have attended.
The Prime Minister has not yet been issued with a fixed penalty notice but No10 has promised to confirm if the PM and civil service chief Simon Case are handed fines.
Following the death of her father, Alison took to Instagram to share the devastating news, writing: “This is my real Dad Clifford Hammond who passed away last week in Jamaica.
"I’m saddened that I won’t be able to make his funeral and saddened that he wasn’t part of my life as much as I would have liked but I still have a sense of loss and emptiness.
"Sleep well Daddy, love leaves a memory no one can steal. RIP."
She was sent sympathy messages from her This Morning co-stars, including Holly Willoughy, who wrote: "Alison... sending you so much love."
Ruth Langsford added: "Sad to hear that darling....sending you love & a huge hug."
This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV and ITV Hub.
