The Metropolitan Police has been urged to reopen its investigation into the Downing Street “Partygate” scandal, after the release of a podcast that raised questions about the force’s initial investigation.
The deputy chairman of the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee has written to the Met Commissioner, Mark Rowley, asking whether new information is being taken into account “when deciding whether to reopen the investigation” into Downing Street lockdown parties .
The revelations include allegations that Downing Street staff corroborated their stories about lockdown parties before filling out the Met’s questionnaire, and that No. 10 officers deliberately destroyed evidence of partying in front of the force and Sue Gray A separate Cabinet Office may be investigated.
Originating from an ITV investigation into Partygate, the findings included an allegation that Boris Johnson joked to Downing Street staff that “this is the most anti-socially disordered party in the UK right now” while attending a holiday celebration at Number 10 took.
In his letter to Rowley, the deputy chairman of the Committee of Inquiry into the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, which in turn oversees the Met, says: “You will certainly be aware of the new evidence which directly Contrary to the former Prime Minister. Minister claims he was not aware of any rule breaking at 10 Downing Street. There are also reports of staff destroying evidence showing rule breaking.
The Met closed its investigation into the Downing Street parties last May after Johnson was informed that he had received a £50 fixed penalty notice last month for breaching COVID laws at his birthday party in Downing Street in June 2020 Other than that no further action was faced.
In all, 126 fines were imposed on 83 people by the Met department during its enquiry, for the events which were to be held on eight different dates.
Johnson is due to appear before Parliament’s Privileges Committee next month, which is probing whether he misled MPs about parties breaking the law during the COVID pandemic.
Desai in the letter says: “I have raised the apparent inconsistency in the way the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] Has liaised with his predecessors for an investigation – in particular with regard to why the former prime minister was only issued a fixed penalty notice for his birthday party, but not for other incidents, including sipping drinks where there is photographic evidence of him holding a glass of champagne and making a toast.
“It has also been reported that questionnaires sent out by police to those under investigation were easily navigated by staff at 10 Downing Street, who were able to confirm the stories.”
The development follows reports last week that the government’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, is investigating a controversial decision to provide £220,000 of taxpayer money to fund Johnson’s legal defense to investigate the Partygate denials. Used to be.
It emerged last week that Johnson’s declared income since leaving office last September is around £4.8m, including an advance payment of around £2.5m for speaking events.