Met Police Hang Fire on No 10 Party Probe – But Legal Threats Loom
Met Police Play Waiting Game Over No 10 Garden Bash
The Metropolitan Police have made it clear they won’t launch an investigation into the Downing Street garden party unless Sue Gray, the civil servant leading the Whitehall inquiry, uncovers evidence of a potential crime. The force confirmed it remains in “ongoing contact” with the Cabinet Office over the May 20, 2020 event – the infamous shindig Boris Johnson admitted attending amid lockdown rules.
Leaked Email Sparks Fury and Legal Threats
It all kicked off after ITV News published a leaked email from the PM’s top aide, Martin Reynolds, inviting over 100 staff for “socially distanced drinks” in the No 10 garden. Boris claimed he thought it was a “work event” and insisted he didn’t know it was a party, arguing it would “technically” comply with Covid rules.
But the Good Law Project, a legal campaigning group, slammed this. They say the email is “clear evidence” enough to launch a police probe. In a letter handed to ITV and the Mirror, they warned they will “likely” take legal action if the Met refuses to investigate. They’re demanding a retrospective look at the lockdown breach, calling any failure to probe “unlawful.”
Number 10 and Officials Hold Their Breath
Following ITV’s bombshell report, Number 10 insiders said Sue Gray’s investigation would pause if the police step in. Home Secretary Priti Patel backed the wait-and-see approach, telling broadcasters: “There’s an ongoing investigation, that investigation needs to conclude, and then obviously other actions could be taken post that investigation… We really can’t pre-empt things right now.”
Lib Dems Condemn Police for ‘Shady Stitch-Up’
The Liberal Democrats slammed the Met, accusing them of a “shady establishment stitch-up.” The party said: “The police don’t need the Government’s permission to investigate a crime, and they mustn’t turn a blind eye to criminality just because it is committed by Boris Johnson.”
