Boris Johnson probed by cops over fresh lockdown breach allegations
‘Partygate’ PM Boris Johnson is under police investigation following fresh claims he allegedly breached lockdown rules, it emerged last night.
The disgraced ex-prime minister has been reported to the Met Police by the Cabinet Office after new evidence came to light that he may have breached the Covid-19 pandemic rules.
Johnson allegedly hosted friends at his then grace-and-favour Buckinghamshire residence, Chequers between June 2020 and May 2021, according to reports in the Times newspaper.
While further potential breaches of the lockdown regulations are alleged to have occurred in Downing Street, it has been claimed. Thames Valley Police have also been informed.
Information came to light “in the process of preparing evidence” for the official Covid-19 inquiry, the Cabinet Office said, and was passed to police in line with the civil service code.
Johnson’s spokesman said “abbreviated entries” in his official diary were queried by officials, and that his lawyers had written to the Cabinet Office and Parliament’s privileges committee “explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations”.
A Met spokesman said: “We are in receipt of information from the Cabinet Office passed to us on 19 May, 2023, which we are currently assessing. It relates to potential breaches of the health protection regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street.”
While Thames Valley Police confirmed to the Times that they were also “currently assessing” a report of potential breaches of the rules at Chequers, occurring between the same dates.