The Partygate scandal has ripped huge holes in the government's ability to claim it followed its own rules during the nation's Covid lockdowns, which saw millions come together in an effort to protect the NHS and save lives.
The parties have since become the focus of a huge inquiry from top civil servant Sue Gray, accompanying outrage from the public, media and Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's fellow politicians.
Public knowledge about the parties has evolved slowly, with a drip-feed of shocking new information appearing over time including pictures clearly depicting government officials gallivanting merrily during times of national strife and mourning.
The images have provided some of the most harrowing and revolutionary clues in the scandal and paint a clear image of the level of disregard allegedly shown towards the public's sacrifice and loss throughout the pandemic.
Read on for a step by step trip through the images and their contexts. They are listed in the order they were released to the public, although the date they took place is also attached.
The Virtual Christmas Quiz 1, December 15, 2020
The PM can be seen on a screen, appearing to read off a piece of paper. He is framed by two clocks that seem to be keeping other time zones and a portrait of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
At the time the image broke, a source said that booze had been bought from a local Tesco Metro, as four teams of six people battled it out in a Christmas quiz.
It would appear that the quiz was not focused on the Covid rules of the time, because if it was you'd fear no one would have scored very highly.
On the day the picture was allegedly taken, 459 people in the UK died from Covid and over 33,000 became infected.
The 'raucous' Buffet group snap, December 14, 2020
The infamously raucous get-together had all the classic features of a proper Christmas knees up - the platter of salmon-oriented nibbles, paper crowns, someone lying on the floor for the photograph and former London Mayor candidate Shaun Bailey.
Mr Bailey stepped down as the chair of the London Assembly’s police and crime committee shortly after the Mirror approached him when the picture was released.
The 24-person-strong do took place while London was in tier 2 lockdown, however, revellers are claimed to have drunk late into the evening and even damaged a door as they went.
The rules of tier 2 said that households shouldn't mix indoors.
The image also shows billionaire Tory donor Nick Candy toasting with a glass of wine.
The garden party, May 15, 2020
The third picture to emerge showed a classically British garden party. There is wine being drunk and stories being told as the sun peeks through gaps in the trees late on a spring afternoon.
17 officials, including Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, can be seen at the gathering - but earlier that afternoon Health Secretary of the time Matt Hanock had warned the British public to remember the context of the warm weather, warning them not to get carried away.
The image was obtained by the Guardian and is understood to have taken place during the first national lockdown.
Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Hancock said: "People can now spend time outdoors and exercise as often as you like - and you can meet one other person from outside your household in an outdoor, public place. But please keep two metres apart."
Downing Street insisted the images depicted a work meeting.
The Virtual Christmas Quiz 2, with added bottle of bubbly, December 15, 2020
Nothing screams Christmas party quite like tinsel, Santa's hat and a nice bottle of the fizzy stuff. Pictured here alongside Mr Johnson, the image is believed to have been taken place during tier 2 restrictions.
This follow-up from the first picture in the series went further than its predecessor by appearing to back up claims about the presence of alcohol at the shindig.
At the time, official guidance read: “You must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”
The Christmas quiz is not currently one of the many events under investigation by the police.
A leading voice on covid law throughout the pandemic, barrister Adam Wagner, believes the image should now fall inside the space police are looking at.
Speaking to The Mirror he said: “The new photograph shows four people with alcohol and food, as well as a Christmas hat and tinsel, which suggests a Christmas party.
He added: “In light of the new evidence it now makes no sense for this gathering not to be investigated by the police given that an almost identical gathering in the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case’s office two day’s later is being investigated.”
Scotland Yard has since said it intends to reconsider its original assessment that the events on December 15 did not meet the criteria for criminal investigation, following the surfacing of the image of Johnson near the bottle.
