London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 09, 2025

Boris Johnson referred to police over potential Covid rule breaches

Boris Johnson referred to police over potential Covid rule breaches

Boris Johnson has been referred to police by the Cabinet Office over further potential rule breaches during the Covid pandemic.
The department said it made the referral after a review of documents ahead of the Covid public inquiry.

The former prime minister, who was fined last year for breaking Covid rules in 2020, denies any wrongdoing.

The Metropolitan Police said it was assessing information it had received from the Cabinet Office last week.

"It relates to potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street," the force added.

The Cabinet Office said officials had been obliged to disclose the documents to the police under civil service rules.

The Times, which first reported the story, says Mr Johnson has also been referred to Thames Valley police because his ministerial diary revealed visits by family and friends to Chequers - the prime minister's country house in Buckinghamshire - during the pandemic.

Thames Valley Police said it had "received a report of potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Chequers, Buckinghamshire".

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.

The spokesman added that Mr Johnson's lawyers had written to the department, as well as the Commons Privileges Committee, "explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations".

The seven-member committee of MPs has been investigating whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking events in government buildings.

In a statement, the committee said it had received additional evidence from the government last week and asked Mr Johnson for a response, both of which it would now take into account during its probe.

Sources close to the former prime minister insist Mr Johnson has been advised by lawyers that all of these events were lawful and did not break any restrictions. They claim the referral to the police is politically motivated.

It is understood Mr Johnson has had no contact from the police.

The Cabinet Office said the material it had passed to police came from the "normal" process of reviewing documents to be submitted to the public inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic.

The public inquiry, which is separate to the privileges committee probe, will begin hearings next month.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: "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 BBC has been told the matter was not considered by ministers or the cabinet secretary, who heads the civil service.

Responding to the announcement, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said "These new allegations are for the police to examine but the government must explain who else knew at the time and why this has only now come to light."

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, said Mr Johnson "should finally do one decent thing and consider his position as an MP".

Lindsay Jackson, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said Mr Johnson was "totally unfit for any form of public service, never mind being the prime minister".

Mr Johnson resigned as prime minister last July, in part due to public anger over revelations he broke Covid lockdown rules.

In April 2021 he received a fine from the police for breaking lockdown rules after attending a gathering on his birthday in June 2020.

And, in May 2022, a report by then-senior civil servant Sue Gray set out a series of social events held by staff in Downing Street which broke the rules.

In October, following the short-lived premiership of Liz Truss, Mr Johnson joined the leadership race to replace her as Conservative leader and prime minister.

However, he later withdrew saying there needed to be a "united party in Parliament".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×