Laurence Fox has boozy Christmas dinner ‘business meeting’ with Reclaim party colleagues

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Laurence Fox has boozy Christmas dinner ‘business meeting’ with Reclaim party colleagues at upmarket London restaurant on last day of Tier 2

  • Actor, 42, met with other political commentators at the Reclaim business meet
  • The lunch – which had six people – was at Piccadilly restaurant The Woseley
  • Business meetings in restaurants were allowed under Tier 2 but not under Tier 3
  • Source close to actor said he only went home with his security guard after meal 

By Dan Sales For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Laurence Fox held a Christmas dinner business meeting with colleagues from his Reclaim party on the last day of Tier 2 – complete with £195 bottle of champagne.

The actor, 42, joined five political commentators including Emma Webb, Jake Scott and Calvin Robinson for the meal at posh London Piccadilly restaurant The Woseley.

Lewis actor Laurence, who sparked controversy last month after describing the NHS as ‘unfit for purpose’ and declaring staff ‘aren’t my saviours’, started at lunchtime.

The group met under provisions of Tier 2 which allows people to meet in a cafe or restaurant as long as it is a business meeting. Under Tier 3 restrictions that came in today it would have been outlawed.

Food at the venue – which includes caviar for £180 – also has a three-course fixed price option for £24-a-head.

But the group appeared to have brought their own dessert in the form of a Christmas cake emblazoned with the Reclaim logo. 

A source close to the actor told MailOnline: ‘This was a business lunch of six people relating to the political party Laurence launched.

‘After the meal Laurence went home from the restaurant.

‘The only person that was with him was the security guard he now has with him when he’s out.’

Laurence posted a picture with political commentators including Calvin Robinson, left

This £195 bottle of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2009 had a joke racism slur added

This £195 bottle of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2009 had a joke racism slur added

After the drinking finished and water was the tipple of choice the Christmas cake was revealed

After the drinking finished and water was the tipple of choice the Christmas cake was revealed

It is not clear when the lunch started but Laurence posted his first picture at 3.38pm of Ms Webb apparently trying to share her food.

He joked: ‘Meanwhile at the ⁦The Reclaim Party Christmas dinner, Emma Webb is forcing gammon on everyone.’

She is a political commentator and director of the Forum on Integration, Democracy and Extremism at Civitas.

A mere three minutes later he said the group had moved onto the £195 bottle of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2009.

The image he posted had been doctored to add ‘Was a racist’ under the legendary PM’s name, in an apparent joke at the expense of critics of the politician.

Warming on the theme, he put up another picture at 3.43pm sat with guests including Mr Robinson, a Defund the BBC campaigner and Policy Exchange senior fellow and Mr Scott, editor of conservative student forum The Mallard. 

Laurence posted his first picture at 3.38pm of Ms Webb apparently trying to share her food

Laurence posted his first picture at 3.38pm of Ms Webb apparently trying to share her food

Political commentators Calvin Robinson and Jake Scott were also at the business meeting

Political commentators Calvin Robinson and Jake Scott were also at the business meeting

BBC reporter John McManus interviewed Mr Robinson for a report on the last night in Tier 2.

BBC reporter John McManus interviewed Mr Robinson for a report on the last night in Tier 2.

Business meeting rules in Tier 2 restrictions 

Working lunches are exempt from Tier 2 coronavirus restrictions.

People are technically banned from meeting inside pubs and restaurants.

But Downing Street and local authorities said meetings inside hospitality venues were allowed as long as they were for ‘work purposes’.

Up to 30 people from different households may meet indoors for work, as long as the place they are meeting is Covid-secure, according to Government guidance. 

It became a grey area as people were later asked to avoid business lunches in restaurants and pubs when possible, but it was never enshrined in law, meaning it was able to continue legally.

He quipped again: ‘Helping ⁦Calvin Robinson come to terms with his #WhitePrivilege.’

By 4.20pm they had moved from alcoholic drinks onto water and the Christmas cake, marked by Laurence with a declaration of ‘Pudding’.

The actor left with his security guard shortly afterwards before making his way back home.

But in a bizarre incident posted at around 8.02pm it appeared Ms Webb and Mr Robinson had gone for an outdoors drink.

Mr Robinson was interviewed by BBC reporter John McManus for a report on how Londoners were enjoying their last night in Tier 2.

He told him: ‘What’s the point in living if we are not allowed to be social beings and we’re not allowed to interract with each other?

‘There is no point to life if we’re not with our people.’

This is not the first time Laurence has spoken about his dining arrangements during the pandemic.

Earlier this year he revealed he had a ‘large group’ over for lunch – despite England’s then lockdown rules banning people from meeting indoors, or outdoors in groups larger than six. 

At the time he had said: ‘Just had a large group over to lunch and we hugged and ate and talked and put the world to rights.

‘It was lovely. You’ll never take that away from people. Stay out.

‘Protect your rights… If the @nhs isn’t fit for purpose. Compliance is violence.’