Two investigations into partygate gatherings involving senior Tories have been announced by the Met Police.
One is a re-investigation into claims of a Covid rule breaching party by staff of former Conservative London mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, in December 2020.
In a press release, the force said: “The Met is now re-opening an investigation into potential breaches of the regulations at an event in Matthew Parker Street on 14 December 2020.”
That date is the same day that footage was taken showing workers on Mr Bailey’s 2021 London mayoral campaign dancing and mingling while the capital was in Tier 2 of COVID restrictions.
The force added: “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.”
That event was a birthday party held for Baroness Jenkin – wife of senior Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkin – in Parliament on 8 December 2020.
Sir Bernard did not deny to reporters that he was in attendance at the event when the claims were first published last month.
The Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley also said it had decided not to open an investigation into claims of rule breaching parties at Downing Street and Chequers – the official country residence of British prime ministers – between June 2020 and May 2021.
These relate to 16 events “without any prior notice” and which were marked in Boris Johnson’s official diaries as prime minister.
The diaries were given to the COVID enquiry last month as part of Mr Johnson’s witness statement.
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“Based on an assessment of that material and an account provided regarding the diary entries, and also having sought some further clarification, the Met and Thames Valley Police have each assessed the events in their jurisdiction and concluded that they do not meet the retrospective criteria for opening an investigation,” the Met Police said in a statement.
Responding to the Met Police’s announcement, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Senior CCHQ staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of 14th December 2020.
“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Shaun Bailey campaign.”
Mr Bailey previously apologised “unreservedly” after a video emerged of his staff partying in lockdown and that he was “very upset” to see the footage.
Mr Bailey – who was running to replace Sadiq Khan in the 2021 London mayoral contest – had previously been pictured at the event but was not seen in the most recent footage.
The Metropolitan Police previously issued 126 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPNs) referrals following a probe into claims of Covid rule breaching parties at Downing Street and Whitehall – an investigation named Operation Hillman.
