Police to review parties at No. 10
Police are considering complaints from Labour MPS that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his
No 10 staff held Christmas parties in breach of Covid regulations.
Labour backbenchers Neil Coyle and Barry Gardiner have both written to Scotland Yard asking police to investigate reports that two parties were held in the build up to last Christmas at a time when such gatherings were banned due to the spread of the pandemic.
Johnson has not denied the events took place but said no rules were broken – although he has repeatedly refused to explain how that could be the case.
The Metropolitan Police said that while it did not routinely investigate retrospective breaches of coronavirus regulations, it was considering the correspondence it had received.
On Wednesday, it was reported the prime minister gave a speech at a packed leaving-do for a senior aide last November when the country was in the midst of the second lockdown and socialising was not allowed.
It was claimed members of his Downing Street team then held their own festive party in the days before Christmas, while London was under Tier 3 restrictions.
In each case there were 40 or 50 people crammed into a medium-sized room in No 10.
Coyle’s letter said: “The prime minister has been questioned on this and has replied that ‘no Covid rules were broken’ but from reading the guidance I believe even holding these events was a breach of the rules at the time.”
The Met said it had been contacted about two alleged breaches of regulations, adding: “It is our policy not to routinely investigate retrospective breaches of the Covid-19 regulations; we will however consider the correspondence received.”