Popular Westminster blog Guido Fawkes has reported that some of Sky’s on air talent attended a party in celebration of Kay Burley’s 60th Birthday – in breach of UK Covid-19 restrictions.
According to Guido Fawkes, the party for Kay Burley on Saturday 5th December, attended by amongst others, Sky News’ Political Editor Beth Rigby, correspondent Inzamam Rashid and presenter Sam Washington, started off at the Century Club in Central London.
The blog goes on to report that the group of 10 were sat at two tables, one of six and another of four.
It is then reported that a smaller group went on to a popular restaurant in Soho called Folie, whom Guido reports the owner was on Kay Burley’s show in the week previous, with four of the party then making their way to Burley’s home in West London.
Those actions are in violation of the UK Government’s tiered Covid-19 restrictions, of which London is currently in Tier 2.
Tier 2 restrictions do not allow mixing in a social setting, such as a restaurant or public house, unless those you are mixing with are from your own household or support bubble.
Kay Burley responded to Guido’s report by tweeting; “Evening everyone I want to apologise to you all for an error of judgment. On Saturday night I was enjoying my 60th birthday at a Covid compliant restaurant. I am embarrassed to say that later in the evening I inadvertently broke the rules.
“I had been waiting for a taxi at 11pm to get home. Desperate for the loo I briefly popped into another restaurant to spend a penny. I can only apologise”.
Sky News appears to have taken immediate action, by replacing Burley on her own-named Breakfast Show on Tuesday morning, with Sarah Hewson instead taking her place live on location at a Coventry Hospital, as the first Coronavirus vaccines in the UK enter circulation.
The problem for Sky News surrounds primarily both Kay Burley and Beth Rigby, both of whom reported heavily and negatively on the actions of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s former advisor Dominic Cummings, when during the first lock-down, he travelled with his family to County Durham from his home in London.
Beth Rigby went so far as to directly question Mr Cummings at a live televised press conference on 25th May 2020 asking him; “Thousands of people watching this, ordinary families have put up with all kinds of restrictions and hardships regardless of their medical or family requirements, people no going to funerals, people not even going into hospital when their kids have been having cancer treatment.
“Why are you so different? What those people I think see here is that there is one rule for you, one of the most powerful people in the country, and there is one rule for them. Don’t you think you at least owe them an apology?”
There are two questions for Sky News and some of its highest profile talent, one is of hypocrisy, the other is of setting a standard.