LONDON — The Metropolitan Police will examine whether or not lockdown-busting events had been held in No. 10 Downing Avenue in breach of COVID-19 guidelines, the pinnacle of the drive Cressida Dick mentioned.
Showing earlier than the London Meeting’s police and crime committee Tuesday, the police chief mentioned that on account of info offered by the U.Ok. authorities’s investigation led by senior civil servant Sue Grey, the Met was “now investigating numerous occasions that occurred at Downing Avenue and Whitehall within the final two years in relation to potential breaches of COVID-19 rules.”
The Metropolitan Police chief has come underneath rising strain to analyze the Downing Avenue events as a result of different social gatherings held in London on the similar time had been investigated, and members of the general public have been fined for breaching lockdown guidelines.
The information is a critical blow for Prime Minister Boris Johnson who’s combating to avoid wasting his political profession after admitting he attended one of many events underneath investigation by Grey.
Dick informed the committee she understood the “deep public concern in regards to the allegations.”
A authorities official aware of the investigation mentioned the Grey report, which had been resulting from be revealed this week, wouldn’t now be revealed this week.
However an official in Grey’s workplace mentioned in an announcement that her inside probe will proceed: “The investigation being carried out by Sue Grey is constant. There may be in ongoing contact with the Metropolitan Police Service.”
Grey is anticipated to proceed her inquiry into occasions which didn’t meet the brink for legal investigation and can be capable of publish her report earlier than the police probe concludes, Downing Avenue mentioned.
Johnson informed MPs he welcomed the Met probe, “as a result of I imagine this may assist to provide the general public the readability it wants and assist to attract a line underneath issues.”
His spokesperson informed reporters Johnson doesn’t imagine he has damaged the regulation and that anybody requested to cooperate with the police would accomplish that absolutely.
The prime minister held his common Tuesday Cupboard assembly shortly after being knowledgeable of the Met’s resolution to analyze — however didn’t inform ministers of the event throughout the assembly, leaving them to search out out afterwards by means of the media.
Resignation name
There are actually 19 separate allegations of presidency gatherings in potential breach of the COVID guidelines which were reported within the U.Ok. media.
Within the newest declare made in opposition to Johnson’s embattled authorities, ITV Information reported on Monday {that a} birthday celebration was thrown for the prime minister on June 19, 2020 throughout the first coronavirus lockdown within the U.Ok. regardless of a strict ban on socializing indoors.
A No. 10 spokesperson mentioned in response: “A bunch of employees working in No. 10 that day gathered briefly within the Cupboard Room after a gathering to want the prime minister a cheerful birthday. He was there for lower than 10 minutes.”
Plenty of Conservative MPs, sad with Johnson’s dealing with of the disaster, have already indicated they’re ready till the Grey report is revealed to resolve whether or not to submit a letter of no-confidence within the prime minister. It requires 54 letters from Conservative MPs to get together chiefs to set off a vote on Johnson’s future.
But Conservatives largely expressed their assist for Johnson within the Commons Tuesday, as they tried to shift the topic to the disaster in Ukraine.
Veteran Tory MP Edward Leigh referred to as for a “sense of proportion” with “conflict looming in Europe,” whereas the Workington MP Mark Jenkinson accused the opposition Labour Social gathering of being “in cahoots” with the media to undermine Johnson at a vital time.
Stuart Anderson, MP for Wolverhampton South West, mentioned repeated requires Johnson’s resignation from the opposition Labour Social gathering had been “strengthening [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s hand and destabilizing negotiations” — an assertion greeted with roars of laughter from the opposition benches.
Labour Social gathering Deputy Chief Angela Rayner renewed opposition requires Johnson to resign. “With Boris Johnson’s Downing Avenue now underneath police investigation, how on earth can he suppose he can keep on as prime minister?” Rayner requested.
Esther Webber and Andrew McDonald contributed reporting.
