British police investigating Downing Street lockdown parties

LONDON (REUTERS) - British police will investigate alleged lockdown breaches at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street residence after receiving evidence from an internal government probe into a series of gatherings.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday (Jan 25) welcomed the Metropolitan Police investigation into the alleged lockdown parties and said it would help to draw a line under the issue.

An internal investigation is being carried out by a senior civil servant which has shared findings with the police, “so I welcome the Met’s decision to conduct it’s own investigation because I believe this will help to give the public the clarity it needs and help to draw a line under matters”, he told Parliament.

Mr Johnson, who in 2019 won the biggest Conservative majority in more than 30 years, is fighting for his political survival after a stream of leaks revealed that his staff held parties during the toughest peacetime rules imposed in Britain.

New allegations emerged late on Monday (Jan 24) that he broke the Covid-19 lockdown rules he imposed by attending a surprise birthday party in Downing Street when social gatherings indoors were banned.

ITV reported that he attended a surprise party on his birthday, June 19. Up to 30 people attended the event in the Cabinet Room of No. 10, his office and residence, ITV said.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps said he understood voter concerns about such reports but that Mr Johnson clearly did not organise to be given a birthday cake.

"I understand the sense of concern about the sort of reports we see on the front of the newspapers," Mr Shapps told Sky.

"Mistakes were made.

"Just to be clear, the Prime Minister clearly didn't organise to be given a cake; some people came forward and thought it would be appropriate on his birthday to present a cake."

Revelations of revelry, including boozy parties in Downing Street, suitcases of supermarket wine, a broken children's swing, a wine fridge and jokes by staff about how to present such parties to reporters, have already hammered Mr Johnson's approval ratings.

Police will now investigate, London’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said on Tuesday (Jan 25).

“I can confirm that the Met (Metropolitan Police) is now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations,” she said.

A statement from the government’s Cabinet Office said its investigation, being carried out by senior official Sue Gray, was continuing and there was ongoing contact with the Metropolitan Police.  

Media reports suggested the publication of her report could be delayed however. It had been expected this week.

Mr Johnson has given a variety of explanations about the previous allegations of parties: first he said no rules had been broken but then he apologised to the British people for the apparent hypocrisy of such gatherings.

The scandal has also seen his Conservative Party fall far behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls and raised the prospect of a leadership challenge from within his own party.

Several Conservatives have called for him to resign, although fewer than the 54 required to trigger a confidence vote among lawmakers which would, if lost, result in a leadership contest.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson had to go.

“This is yet more evidence that we have got a prime minister who believes that the rules that he made don’t apply to him.”

“We cannot afford to go on with this chaotic, rudderless government. The prime minister is a national distraction and he’s got to go.”