Boris Johnson has been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office over further potential rule breaches during the pandemic.
Information has been passed to two forces over alleged events at both Chequers and within Downing Street.
It relates to entries in the former prime minister’s official diary and came to light during a review of documents ahead of the Covid public inquiry.
The Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police both said they were “currently assessing” information they had received about potential breaches of health regulations between June 2020 and May 2021.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson has said the events were lawful and denied wrongdoing.
According to The Times, which first reported the story, his ministerial diary revealed visits by friends to Chequers – the prime minister’s grace and favour residence in Buckinghamshire – during the pandemic.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a close ally, confirmed this on GB News.
But in an incredible twist, it appears that the revelations only came to light because the government pays Johnson’s legal fees for the Covid inquiry.
Some £245,000 has been stumped up so far defending Johnson in a probe by the Privileges Committee, which is investigating whether he deliberately misled Parliament.
According to Guardian reports, Johnson handed over diaries to lawyers, but as the client the Cabinet Office got to see them – leading them to refer the issue to the police.
Pippa Crerar says the Privileges Committee was actually close to sending him the final report summarising findings.
But revelations are likely to delay proceedings.
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