A Kent man says he's been reduced to tears by the thought that while he was unable to say 'goodbye' to his wife who died last year, Number 10 was possibly hosting a Christmas party.

Last December, Clive Lever, from Maidstone, could not see his terminally-ill wife Andrea while she was in a hospice due to Covid rules.

Heartbreakingly, by the time he was allowed to see her she was unconscious, before she died after a three-and-a-half-year battle with cancer.

The 66-year-old explained how Andrea had fallen and needed attention from paramedics, who advised him she may need extra care.

Confusing his conversation with the ambulance crew as "trying to pack her off", Andrea was annoyed with Clive and told him to "go away", which happened to be the last words she said to him.

Devastated Clive, of King Edward Road, admitted he was furious when he found out about the allegations there had been a Downing Street Christmas party.

He said: "The last words I heard her speak to my face was 'oh go away'.

'It brought tears to my eyes...'

"I wasn't allowed to see her when she was in for medication or assessments because of Covid restrictions, but when it got to the end of life care I was allowed to see her but at the time she wasn't conscious, so I never got to say a nice loving goodbye face-to-face to her.

"The last words I heard her say weren't all that pleasant. And now to hear while we were being told you can't go into the hospice to say goodbye.

"I felt quite furious at first when I heard while all that was going on all those in the corridors of power were allegedly having parties and putting out videos making fun of the whole issue. It's simply not funny.

"I heard a row of calls on another radio station saying it was an insult to them as they couldn't say goodbye to their loved ones either while others were living it up in Number 10. And they were feeling angry and upset.

"It brought tears to my eyes on several occasions thinking I couldn't even say goodbye and she couldn't even have her husband hold her hand while she was aware. All the while there was a party going on somewhere else, it seemed like an insult."

The Maidstone resident said he will will forgive the government and Prime Minister, but "won't forget".

He added: "I have a piano over the other side of the room and I wouldn't trust the Prime Minister as far as I can throw it.

"Whatever any of the government or any members of the government tell us to do, it is important from now on that they stick to the rules. Because there's too much of a feeling of it's not do as I do, but do as I say. That has got to change. It's hypocritical.

"If you're going to tell us to do it, do it your flipping selves."

Clive's anger comes as Boris Johnson announced England will now head into "Plan B" as the number of cases for Omicron continue to rise.

He urged people to start working from home if they can from Monday and told people they need to wear masks in certain indoor settings such as theatres and cinemas.

The recent Christmas party scandal has sparked outrage among many Kent residents, for more than one reason.

Kent Online has recently called for more of the county's MPs to speak out against the claims after only a handful have commented on the matter today.