Boris Johnson has been referred to police by the Cabinet Office over claims he broke lockdown rules by hosting family and friends at Chequers during the pandemic.
The visits to the former prime minister’s grace-and-favour residence were found in his official diary by his government-funded lawyers as they were preparing for the public inquiry into the Covid pandemic.
They raised the issue with senior officials in the Cabinet Office, who then referred the matter to police as they were obliged to do under the ministerial code, and also the privileges committee, which is investigating whether Johnson lied to the Commons over Partygate.
The former prime minister, who quit in July last year after a series of scandals including Partygate, has written to the Cabinet Office denying breaking strict lockdown rules.
The Metropolitan police and Thames Valley police have confirmed they are considering the evidence.
A spokesperson for the former prime minister said: “Some abbreviated entries in Mr…
This article was written by Pippa Crerar and originally published on www.theguardian.com