Fury as British Embassy in Sweden hires David Bowie and Baby Spice doppelgängers for £7,000

Civil servants have sparked outrage after it emerged £7,000 was spent on hiring celebrity lookalikes of David Bowie and Baby Spice to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The lavish party, held at the British Embassy in Stockholm, saw performers from Entourage Productions, saunter around the building to mark the late Queen’s birthday.

One actor even appeared to be Boris Johnson, caged and locked in a straightjacket like Silence of the Lambs serial killer Hannibal Lector.

The Foreign Office, however, has insisted that none of the actors had dressed like the blond-haired former Prime Minister during the celebration.

Entourage Productions, who attended the party, have one doppelgänger who looks like Boris Johnson, pictured caged and chained in a straightjacket like Hannibal Lector. But the Foreign Office said none of the actors dressed up as the former Prime Minister

 Civil servants splashed out £7,000 hiring celebrity lookalikes, from David Bowie to Baby Spice, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at the British Embassy in Sweden

Around 60 people are believed to have attended Ambassador Judith Gough’s Stockholm residence in June, the Mirror reports.

The cost of the hiring the performers has led to a backlash from Labour, as hard-pressed families back home struggle with the cost-of-living crisis, resulting in high energy bills and food prices.

A Labour source told the Mirror: ‘The Tories must not realise we’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis or they must not care.

‘Either way, they need to take their £7,000 dance troupes and exit stage right.

‘Fetish gear, pig heads, and Boris in a cage: this would all be a good laugh if it wasn’t such a grotesque waste of taxpayers money.’ 

While no one dressed up as Paddington Bear, there were toys scattered around the home to pay tribute to the Queen

British Ambassador Judith Gough attended the party wearing a Union Jack dress and holding a Paddington Bear toy. While no one dressed up as Paddington Bear, there were toys scattered around the home to pay tribute to the Queen

British pop hits and bagpipe music was blasted at the party, as guests snacked on Jubilee cakes and British sausages from a barbecue.

While no one dressed up as Paddington Bear, there were toys scattered around the home to pay tribute to the Queen.

Those who attended the party had ‘in some way helped us strengthen ties between the United Kingdom and Sweden’ it was reported.

The Foreign Office said such events are an ‘important opportunity’ to promote ‘UK influence on the world stage and UK influence on the world stage and bilateral links between countries’.

At the end of December Labour MP Emily Thornberry asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, ‘with reference to his Department’s publication of government procurement card spending over £500 for June 2022, what was the (a) nature and (b) purpose of the services for which Entourage was paid £6,941.43 on 17 June 2022’.

A photo from the Jubilee Party held at the British Embassy in Stockholm.

British pop hits and bagpipe music was blasted at the party, as guests snacked on Jubilee cakes and British sausages from a barbecue

Foreign Office minister David Rutley said some of the funds from the party came from private sponsors.

He added: ‘Staff considered a number of bids; Entourage Productions was felt to represent the best value for money in terms of lowest cost and the range of services provided.

‘The Queen’s Birthday Party was funded by a combination of GREAT UK funding and private sponsorship.’  

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