THE Metropolitan Police has reopened an investigation into potential Covid-19 regulation breaches at Tory HQ.
The Met said that they will be relaunching the probe into a Christmas party event at Conservative campaign headquarters on December 14 2020.
A leaked video showed dozens of Tory members drinking, laughing and dancing at a festive party during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and during a national lockdown.
The force has also launched a new probe into a gathering in Parliament during the same month.
In a statement, the Met also revealed that they would be taking no further action on reported Covid guidance breaches at Downing Street and Chequers, letting Boris Johnson off the hook for any further Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN).
Scotland Yard said that after assessing new evidence including a video, they would be re-investigating the Christmas party held at Tory party HQ.
Police announced that they would also be opening a probe into "potential breaches of the regulations at an event on 8 December 2020" - the date of an alleged drinks event attended by Sir Bernard Jenkin, a Tory party grandee.
However, the force said a "number of other events" at Downing Street and the prime minister's grace and favour residence Chequers, which are believed to involve Johnson in 2020 and 2021, would not be subjected to further investigation.
It comes after officers assessed official diary entries passed on to the Met by the Cabinet Office ahead of the Covid public inquiry. Johnson's allies had previously attacked the move.
In a statement from Johnson's office, they revealed that the former prime minister's lawyers had written to the police to “explain in detail why the Cabinet Office is entirely wrong in its assertions”.
A spokesperson for the Met said: “The Met and Thames Valley Police have assessed material referred by the Cabinet Office regarding potential breaches of the Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street and Chequers
"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 police force said that it could revisit investigations if significant evidence comes to light, adding: “The approach to the assessment of these events has been consistent, enforcing the law carefully, thoroughly, proportionately, impartially and without fear or favour.”
