Former British prime minister Boris Johnson has been reported to the police by the cabinet office over fresh claims that he may have broken lockdown rules during the pandemic.
Information has been passed to two forces over alleged visits from the former prime minister’s friends to Chequers as well as potential breaches within Downing Street, The Times has reported.
The Metropolitan Police said it was “assessing” details it had received relating to incidents between June 2020 and May 2021.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary were queried by Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry.
“Following an examination of the entries, Mr Johnson’s lawyers wrote to the Cabinet Office and Privileges Committee explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations.”
It was also suggested the move was “politically motivated” and the former prime minister had been given no notice of the report.
The cabinet office said: “Information came to light during the process of preparing evidence for submission to the Covid inquiry.
“It was identified as part of the normal disclosure review of potentially relevant documents being undertaken by the legal team for inquiry witnesses.
“In line with obligations in the Civil Service Code, this material has been passed to the relevant authorities and it is now a matter for them.”
The Metropolitan Police said: “We are in receipt of information from the Cabinet Office passed to us on May 19th 2023, which we are currently assessing. It relates to potential breaches of the health protection regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street.”
In a statement given to The Times, Thames Valley Police also confirmed they were looking into a report of potential breaches of the rules at Chequers.
They told the newspaper: “On Thursday we received a report of potential breaches of the health protection regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Chequers, Buckinghamshire. We are currently assessing this information.”
The Liberal Democrats called on Boris Johnson to “consider his position as an MP” following the report.
“It’s outrageous that rumours of alleged rule-breaking by Boris Johnson are still being drip-fed to the public,” deputy leader Daisy Cooper said.
“The fact that it’s one rule for them and one rule for the rest of us still triggers a raw sense of injustice in millions of people.
“Sunak must make sure that not a single penny more of taxpayer money is spent on Johnson’s legal fund; and Johnson should finally do one decent thing and consider his position as an MP.”
Lindsay Jackson, spokeswoman for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, branded Mr Johnson “totally unfit for any form of public service” and suggested he “quietly step back from public life”.
Ms Jackson said: “These revelations make a grim mockery of Boris Johnson’s claims that he didn’t break his own lockdown rules. He lied when he said to our faces that he’d done ‘all he could’ to protect our loved ones, he lied again when he said the rules hadn’t been broken in No 10, and he’s lied over and over again since then when he’s denied it.
“He is totally unfit for any form of public service, never mind being the prime minister. His legacy is one of lying, complete contempt for the ordinary people he was supposed to protect, and above all presiding over the deaths of nearly 200,000 people.
“If he had any respect he’d quietly step back from public life and reflect on the pain and suffering he has inflicted on so many.”
Labour called for taxpayer-funded legal support for Mr Johnson to come to an end and said he had “serious questions to answer”.
“I just believe it’s wrong that the taxpayer is continuing to fund Boris Johnson’s legal defence here. Rishi Sunak should bring that to an end,” shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said.
The Government’s bill for Mr Johnson’s legal fees in the partygate inquiry into whether he lied to MPs, carried out by the House of Commons privileges committee, is an estimated £222,000. – PA