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Police open probe into Partygate inquisitor Sir Bernard Jenkin

04 July 2023 , 16:10
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Police open probe into Partygate inquisitor Sir Bernard Jenkin
Police open probe into Partygate inquisitor Sir Bernard Jenkin

PARTYGATE inquisitor Bernard Jenkin WILL be investigated by the Met Police over a potential breach of social distancing rules.

Cops have also re-opened a probe into a pandemic party at Tory HQ - but won't look any further into Boris Johnson.

The Met has opened a formal investigation into partygate inquisitor Sir Bernard Jenkin qhiukiuiqkrprw
The Met has opened a formal investigation into partygate inquisitor Sir Bernard JenkinCredit: Alamy
The Met has also re-opened a probe into a "Jingle and Mingle" lockdown party in Tory HQ
The Met has also re-opened a probe into a "Jingle and Mingle" lockdown party in Tory HQ

The Met decided to investigate Sir Bernard after the senior Tory was accused of attending cake-fuelled birthday celebrations in December 2020, when pandemic restrictions were in place.

In a statement the force said: "The Met and Thames Valley Police have assessed new material in relation to potential breaches of Covid Regulations in 2020 and 2021.

"The Met will be opening one investigation and re-opening a previous investigation.

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"The approach to the assessment of these events has been consistent, enforcing the law carefully, thoroughly, proportionately, impartially and without fear or favour."

Claims against Sir Bernard caused a storm last month because the MP was one of seven behind a highly damning report into whether Boris misled the Commons over Partygate.

Initially Sir Bernard denied attending a lockdown bash, telling the Guido Fawkes blog: "I did not attend any drinks parties during lockdown."

Today a spokesperson for the MP said: "It is not appropriate to comment on a continuing investigation."

Last month in a raging statement Boris said: “If this is true it is outrageous and a total contempt of parliament.

“Bernard Jenkin has just voted to expel me from parliament for allegedly trying to conceal from parliament my knowledge of illicit events. In reality of course I did no such thing.

“Now it turns out he may have for the whole time known that he himself attended an event – and concealed this from the privileges committee and the whole House for the last year."

The alleged party is said to have taken place in Deputy Commons Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing’s office to mark the 65th birthday of Sir Bernard's wife Anne.

One attendee, Tory MP Virginia Crosbie, took to Twitter last week to apologise for joining the alleged birthday celebration.

Ms Crosbie said: "Regarding reports of an event held on 8th December 2020 I would like to set out the facts. The invitation for this event was not sent out by me.

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"I attended the event briefly, I did not drink and I did not celebrate my birthday. I went home shortly after to be with my family.

“I apologise unreservedly for a momentary error of judgment in attending the event.”

Alongside investigating Sir Bernard the Met also re-opened a probe into pandemic partying at CCHQ.

The "Jingle and Mingle" Christmas bash, hosted by former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey, was investigated last year - but no action was taken at the time.

A bombshell new video published by the Mirror last month led the Met to think again.

The video showed Tory staffers dancing next to a table filled with party food, before proceeding to bump into it.

While the two investigations take place, a potential new probe into Boris breaking pandemic rules at the Chequers estate was quashed.

The Met said: "The Met and Thames Valley Police have assessed material referred by the Cabinet Office regarding potential breaches of the Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street and Chequers.

"Based on an assessment of that material and an account provided regarding the diary entries, and also having sought some further clarification, the Met and Thames Valley Police have each assessed the events in their jurisdiction and concluded that they do not meet the retrospective criteria for opening an investigation."

Noa Hoffman

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