Boris Johnson reported to police over new ‘potential lockdown breaches’
Information has been handed to 2 forces over alleged occasions at each Chequers and inside Downing Street.
It pertains to entries within the former prime minister’s official diary and got here to mild throughout a evaluate of paperwork forward of the Covid public inquiry.
The Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police each mentioned they had been “currently assessing” data that they had obtained about potential breaches of well being rules between June 2020 and May 2021.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson has mentioned the occasions had been lawful and denied wrongdoing.
According to The Times, which first reported the story, his ministerial diary revealed visits by mates to Chequers – the prime minister’s grace and favour residence in Buckinghamshire – through the pandemic.
Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary had been queried by Cabinet Office throughout preparation for the Covid inquiry
A spokesman for Mr Johnson mentioned: “Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary were queried by Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry.
“Following an examination of the entries, Mr Johnson’s lawyers wrote to the Cabinet Office and Privileges Committee explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations.”
It was additionally urged the transfer was “politically motivated” and the previous prime minister had been given no discover of the report.
The Cabinet Office mentioned: “Information came to light during the process of preparing evidence for submission to the Covid inquiry.
“It was identified as part of the normal disclosure review of potentially relevant documents being undertaken by the legal team for inquiry witnesses.
“In line with obligations in the Civil Service Code, this material has been passed to the relevant authorities and it is now a matter for them.”
The Metropolitan Police mentioned: “We are in receipt of information from the Cabinet Office passed to us on May 19 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.”
Thames Valley Police mentioned: “On Thursday we received a report of potential breaches of the health protection regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Chequers, Buckinghamshire. We are currently assessing this information.”
If he had any respect he’d quietly step again from public life and mirror on the ache and struggling he has inflicted on so many
The Liberal Democrats referred to as on Mr Johnson to “consider his position as an MP” following the report.
“It’s outrageous that rumours of alleged rule-breaking by Boris Johnson are still being drip-fed to the public,” deputy chief Daisy Cooper mentioned.
“The fact that it’s one rule for them and one rule for the rest of us still triggers a raw sense of injustice in millions of people.
“Sunak must make sure that not a single penny more of taxpayer money is spent on Johnson’s legal fund; and Johnson should finally do one decent thing and consider his position as an MP.”
Lindsay Jackson, spokeswoman for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, branded Mr Johnson “totally unfit for any form of public service” and urged he “quietly step back from public life”.
Ms Jackson mentioned: “These revelations make a grim mockery of Boris Johnson’s claims that he didn’t break his own lockdown rules. He lied when he said to our faces that he’d done ‘all he could’ to protect our loved ones, he lied again when he said the rules hadn’t been broken in No 10, and he’s lied over and over again since then when he’s denied it.
“He is totally unfit for any form of public service, never mind being the prime minister. His legacy is one of lying, complete contempt for the ordinary people he was supposed to protect, and above all presiding over the deaths of nearly 200,000 people.
“If he had any respect he’d quietly step back from public life and reflect on the pain and suffering he has inflicted on so many.”
Labour referred to as for taxpayer-funded authorized assist for Mr Johnson to return to an finish and mentioned he had “serious questions to answer”.
“I just believe it’s wrong that the taxpayer is continuing to fund Boris Johnson’s legal defence here. Rishi Sunak should bring that to an end,” shadow training secretary Bridget Phillipson mentioned.
The Government’s invoice for Mr Johnson’s authorized charges within the partygate inquiry into whether or not he lied to MPs, carried out by the House of Commons privileges committee, is an estimated £222,000.