The Met Police are ‘liaising’ with a Cabinet Office investigation into alleged lockdown-busting parties at Downing Street during the first Covid lockdown.
A bombshell email leaked last night proved that Boris Johnson’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds invited more than 100 staff to bring their own drinks to No10’s lavish gardens on May 20, 2020 to ‘make the most of the lovely weather’.
At the time, only two people were allowed to socialise outside while at least two metres apart under national Covid curbs.
On a visit to his constituency yesterday, Boris Johnson ducked questions about whether he attended the May 20 garden party, merely insisting it was a matter for Sue Gray, the senior official leading an investigation into allegations of lockdown-busting parties across Whitehall.
However, it is understood that around 40 staff met for drinks and food from 6pm that evening — including the PM and his wife Carrie. Mr Johnson’s ex-chief aide Dominic Cummings continues to claim that the couple were both there.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: ‘Boris Johnson has consistently shown that he has no regard for the rules he puts in place for the rest of us.’
Scotland Yard has now confirmed that they are now ‘in contact with the Cabinet Office’ over reports of the drinks party. The force is thought to be waiting to see if Ms Gray’s inquiry identifies rule-breaking before considering whether further action is needed, The Times reports.