Met Police 'assessing' report of Covid rule-breaking by senior Tory MP

Met Police ‘assessing’ report of alleged Covid rule-breaking by senior Tory MP Bernard Jenkin – one of Boris Johnson’s leading Partygate inquisitors – with Scotland Yard also looking into video of Conservative activists dancing at CCHQ bash

Scotland Yard is ‘assessing’ fresh claims of Covid rule-breaking by politicians – including a drinks event in Parliament attended by one of Boris Johnson’s leading Partygate inquisitors.

The Metropolitan Police today revealed it was ‘in the process’ of looking into a series of allegations of further lockdown breaches following on from its probe last year.

It is looking into allegations levelled against Sir Bernard Jenkin, a member of the Privileges Committee, that he attended a birthday party for his wife, Baroness Jenkin, in December 2020.

Sir Bernard has not commented on the claims first made by the Guido Fawkes website.

Police are also investigating a party held by Tory staff working on the campaign of London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey – now ennobled as Lord Bailey.

It was reported today that Conservative staff were invited to a ‘Jingle and Mingle’ event at a time when indoor socialising was banned in London. 

In a statement this afternoon, Scotland Yard said it was now ‘assessing information and new material in relation to a number of allegations of breaches of Covid Regulations dating back to 2020 and 2021’.

The Metropolitan Police today revealed it was ‘in the process’ of looking into a series of allegations of further lockdown breaches following on from its probe last year

Scotland Yard is looking into claims that Sir Bernard Jenkin, a senior Conservative MP, attended a lockdown-busting drinks party in Parliament

Sir Bernard sits on the House of Commons’ Privileges Committee that last week condemned Boris Johnson over Partygate

A total of 126 fines were dished out by the force as part of its Operation Hillman investigation into pandemic law-breaking in Downing Street and across Whitehall.

But, since the Partygate probe ended, further claims have emerged of coronavirus regulation breaches.

These include a report by the Cabinet Office about ‘potential breaches of the regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street and Chequers’.

No10 is currently facing tough questions over whether action should be taken against Tory activists filmed partying and drinking in London during the pandemic.

Two dancing officials are shown twirling each other past signs saying ‘please keep your distance’ and stumbling into a table laden with buffet food. As they do so, other Tory staff members are heard laughing, with one joking that he hopes that they are not exposed for ‘bending the rules.’

Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday yesterday a furious Mr Gove said he hoped all those filmed were ‘contrite’, adding: ‘It is terrible. I think it is completely out of order.

Good Lord: London mayor wannabe Shaun Bailey, who was ennobled last week, is seen smiling at the lockdown-mocking party thrown by the team who failed to get him elected  

‘I want to apologise to everyone who, looking at that image, will think these are people flouting the rules put in place to protect us all…

‘The fact that this party went ahead is indefensible for the people who were there.’

The Metropolitan Police has previously investigated the event, which took place on December 14 2020, but only had a still image of the partygoers.

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