A photo was published showing the PM and members of staff near what appears to be an uncorked bottle of prosecco and an open bag of crisps.
Don't Miss
Most Read
Trending on GB News
Police are reviewing whether a Christmas quiz in No 10 may have breached coronavirus restrictions after a picture emerged showing the Prime Minister and colleagues near an open bottle of sparkling wine.
Scotland Yard said on Wednesday that officers were reconsidering their previous assessment that the event on December 15 2020 did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation after the new evidence emerged.
The Mirror published a photo showing Boris Johnson and three members of staff – one wearing tinsel and another in a Santa hat – near what appears to be an uncorked bottle of prosecco and an open bag of crisps.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “The MPS previously assessed this event and determined that on the basis of the evidence available at that time, it did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation.
“That assessment is now being reviewed.”
The image added to the pressure on the Prime Minister after major Tory donor John Armitage suggested his leadership is past the point of no return.
Battling to stay in power in the face of Conservative unrest over partygate, Mr Johnson signalled to the Commons that laws requiring people in England with Covid-19 to self-isolate will be lifted within weeks.
But the Mirror publishing its latest photo during Prime Minister’s Questions prompted a challenge from shadow minister Fabian Hamilton.
The Labour MP said the image appears to show “one of the Christmas parties he told us never happened”, adding: “Will the Prime Minister be referring this party to the police as it is not one of the ones currently being investigated?”
Mr Johnson responded: “In what he has just said, I’m afraid he is completely in error.”
Challenged again during PMQs, Mr Johnson added: “That event already has been submitted for investigation.”
Tory MP Neil Hudson called for all the evidence to be published to stem the “drip, drip, drip” of alleged Covid breaches and “upsetting images” in a sign the revelation was further damaging Conservatives’ view of Mr Johnson.
“I’m incredibly disappointed and upset. Yet again I have to say that categorically I will not defend the indefensible,” the Penrith and The Border MP told GB News.
“I’m very clear that if rules have been broken and indeed if the law has been broken it doesn’t matter how serious you are there has to be serious consequences.”
London was under Tier 2 restrictions at the time, which prohibited social mixing between different households indoors.
Official guidance said: “Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”
Ms Gray’s update into her inquiry revealed that police were investigating 12 events in Downing Street and wider government, but the “online Christmas quiz” was not considered to have “reached the threshold for criminal investigation”.
Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s hostile former chief adviser, tweeted: “There’s waaaaay better pics than that floating around, incl in the flat.”
A separate image of the same quiz emerged in December but did not show any alcohol.
