Police close investigation into MPs' Covid event

The Metropolitan Police has closed an investigation into alleged breaches of Covid regulations at an event in Parliament in December 2020.

The police said the gathering - attended by deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing and Tory MPs Virginia Crosbie and Sir Bernard Jenkin - had not met the threshold for issuing fines.

All three MPs are now facing an investigation by Parliament's watchdog.

The event was first reported by the Guido Fawkes website in June.

The political blog said it was held on 8 December 2020 to celebrate the birthday of Ms Crosbie, the MP for Ynys Mon, and the Conservative peer Baroness Anne Jenkin.

At the time, coronavirus rules in London prohibited indoor social mixing outside households or support bubbles.

Sir Bernard sits on the Privileges Committee, which earlier this year produced a damning report into rule breaking in Downing Street during the pandemic.

When news of the 8 December event was reported, Boris Johnson accused Sir Bernard of "monstrous hypocrisy".

The Harwich and North Essex MP previously denied attending any drinks parties during lockdown. When he was asked by a Guido Fawkes reporter whether he had a drink at the celebration of his wife's birthday that evening, he was quoted as saying "I don't recall".

Ms Crosbie said she apologised "unreservedly for a momentary error of judgement in attending the event".

"I attended the event briefly, I did not drink and I did not celebrate my birthday. I went home shortly after to be with my family."

Dame Eleanor, who is the Conservative MP for Epping Forest, previously told the Guido Fawkes website she held a "business meeting" that evening, adding: "At the beginning of the pandemic I took advice on how many could be present in a room, I had the room measured and I kept a two-metre ruler so that I could always verify that nobody who was working here was put at risk."

The police launched an investigation in July 2023 but have now closed their inquiry saying: "Officers assessed the available information and concluded it did not meet the threshold for the referral of any fixed penalty notices."

Last month, parliamentary commissioner for standards Daniel Greenberg opened an investigation into Dame Eleanor and Mrs Crosbie.

On Thursday, a third investigation was opened into Sir Bernard, who chairs the Commons Liaison Committee which includes the chairs of all 32 Commons select committees.

The commissioner's website does not provide any details about the investigations other than to say they relate to claims of "actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or its members generally".