Downing Street parties: Met Police investigating 12 gatherings

The Met Police are investigating alleged Covid-rule breaking at 12 gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall held during the pandemic.

Boris Johnson was at three of the events and has refused to say whether he was at a fourth, in his own flat.

He said MPs must wait for the outcome of the Met's investigation, as he rejected opposition calls to resign.

He was commenting after Sue Gray published a limited report into lockdown parties in Downing Street.

The senior civil servant said there had been a "serious failure" to meet the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government.

She blamed "failures of leadership and judgment" at No 10 and the Cabinet Office.

But she added that she had been "severely limited" in what she could say by the Metropolitan Police's own inquiry, launched last week.

Twelve of the 16 gatherings highlighted in the Gray report - on eight separate dates - are being investigated by the Met, after Ms Gray passed details to the force.

These include:

20 May 2020 "Bring your own booze" party in the Downing Street garden, which the PM has apologised for attending

19 June 2020 A gathering in the Cabinet room at No 10, with Mr Johnson, to celebrate the PM's birthday

13 November 2020 A leaving party for senior aide Lee Cain

The police are also looking at an alleged party in Mr Johnson's own flat on 13 November 2020, the day that the PM's senior aide Dominic Cummings left Downing Street.

Mr Johnson was pictured with Mr Cain, a close ally of Dominic Cummings, at his leaving do.

Asked repeatedly by opposition MPs if he was also at the party in the No 10 flat on the same night, Mr Johnson said he would not give a "running commentary" on events being investigated by the police.

He said he accepted Sue Gray's findings in full and promised a shake-up of the way Downing Street is run.

Police are also investigating three events which were not previously known about.

They are:

18 June 2020 A gathering in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, on the departure of a No 10 private secretary

17 December 2020 A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a No 10 official

14 January 2021 A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of two No 10 private secretaries

Catherine Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, said: "The offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice."

She said investigating officers have been handed "well over" 500 pieces of paper, and more than 300 photographs so far.

They expect to approach in writing, or via email, individuals "identified as having potentially breached", Commander Roper added.

The Met have not given a timescale for when their investigation will be complete.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the prime minister of "hiding behind a police investigation into criminality at his home and his office".

"He gleefully treats what should be a mark of shame as a welcome shield," added Sir Keir.

Conservative former prime minister Theresa May said the Gray report shows Downing Street "was not observing the regulations they had imposed on members of the public" , so either Mr Johnson "had not read the rules or didn't understand what they meant and others around him, or they didn't think the rules applied to Number 10. Which was it?"

Mr Johnson replied: "No, Mr Speaker that is not what the Gray report says, I suggest that she waits to see the conclusion of the inquiry."