The Metropolitan Police have been threatened with legal action by the Good Law Project as they are refusing to investigate at least seven breaches of the tiered restrictions at Downing Street last year.
The Met Police said earlier this week that they will not investigate any parties which allegedly occurred last year whilst millions of Brits were in lockdown as there is an “absence of evidence.”
Then leaked footage appeared where No.10 aides were laughing about a “fictional party” days after the Christmas bash.
The Good Law Project has written to Scotland Yard urging them to probe the claims or provide a “full and detailed” explanation should they refuse.
A spokesperson added, that should they fail, “we will be left with little choice but to consider suing.”
In a statement, they said, “There have been multiple reports from people in attendance that a party of 40 to 50 people took place in the Prime Minister’s own home on December 18, 2020.
“This would have been a clear breach of the “tier three” restrictions in place at the time. Yet, unbelievably, the Met Police claims there isn’t enough evidence to open a criminal investigation.”
It added, “Our lawyers have today written to the Met asking them to open an investigation, or if not, to provide the full and detailed reasons behind their refusal to do so.
“We’re also asking the Met to provide details of its policy ‘not to investigate retrospective breaches of the Covid regulations,’ referred to in its statement of December 8, 2021.
“If they fail to do this, we will be left with little choice but to consider suing.”
More than 250,000 people have signed a petition calling for the police watchdog to investigate the Metropolitan Police as they have failed to investigate the Downing Street alleged Christmas parties that took place during lockdown.
The Met acknowledged in its statement earlier this week that it had received ‘a significant amount of correspondence’ relating to the alleged breaches in the run up to Christmas last year.
Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who is treasurer of the 1922 Committee, said on Thursday that “the truth must come out” over the various allegations aimed at Downing Street.
He told BBC’s Newsnight, “What we need from all of this is a really straightforward version from the Prime Minister on all of these serious issues – whether it’s by investigation of the most senior (civil) servant Simon Case on the Downing Street parties, whether it’s by investigation by Lord Geidt on the donations to the Downing Street flat – all of these things need to be investigated and the truth must come out.”
He added, “The whole parties issue could have been investigated in a day or two, a week or so ago, and the correct version given – whoever it was who organised whatever it is that we don’t know or do know that happened.
“The truth should have been given and then the appropriate action against those who organised these parties – if that’s what they were, or gatherings… the appropriate disciplinary action should have been taken.
“And I think now as other commentators have said, the Prime Minister needs to get a grip on all of these matters.”
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