Met Police launch Covid investigation into MP who probed Boris Johnson partygate claims
Bernard Jenkin was on the committee which ruled the former PM lied to the House of Commons
PA
A senior Conservative MP involved in the Covid investigation into Boris Johnson is being investigated by the Met Police over a possible lockdown breach of his own.
Bernard Jenkin, who sat on the privileges committee looking into whether the former Prime Minister lied to Parliament with his lockdown party denials, is accused of attending a birthday party at which social distancing measures were not followed.
The Met Police said: "Following assessment of material relating to a gathering in Parliament, the Met is opening an investigation into potential breaches of the Regulations at an event on 8 December 2020."
The investigation was launched after claims emerged of Jenkin attended a party held by Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing.
Boris Johnson labelled the privileges committee's partygate investigation a 'witch hunt'
ReutersAt the time London was in Tier 2 measures which imposed restrictions on indoor mixing.
Claims of the gathering emerged just days after the privileges committee recommended MPs suspend Johnson from Parliament for 90 days for recklessly misleading the Commons about lockdown rule breaches in No10.
Johnson accused the committee of being a "kangaroo court" which had gone out of its way to penalise him.
Johnson said of the allegations Jenkin broke the rules: "He has no choice but to explain his actions to his own committee, for his colleagues to investigate and then to resign."
Boris Johnson said Bernard Jenkin should resign from the privileges committee
PAAnnouncing its investigation, the Met Police said: "It would not be appropriate to prejudge the outcome of those ongoing investigations or to provide a running commentary on their progress.
"The Met will provide further updates at the appropriate time."
The police force is also re-opening an investigation into an alleged illegal gathering at the Conservative Party Headquarters on December 14 2020.
No action was taken against the gathering when police originally investigated, but a video has since emerged which appears to show social distancing rules being broken.
“Based on the information available at the time, that investigation did not lead to FPNs, but outcome letters sent to some participants stated that ‘the Metropolitan Police reserves the right to revisit this decision in the event that further significant evidence comes to light’," the police statement added.
"The receipt of video evidence has resulted in the Met revisiting and updating the assessment.”
The force will not open an investigation into further potential breaches of the regulations in Downing Street, and Thames Valley Police will not investigate potential breaches at Chequers, the grace and favour country residence, when Boris Johnson was prime minister.