In UK, Met police accused of failing to probe Downing Street lockdown parties: Report

The Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom has been accused of failing to investigate parties held at Downing Street in apparent violation of lockdown restrictions during the first wave of Coronavirus. On Monday, 10 January, the force stated it was in contact with the Cabinet Office amid widespread reporting related to the alleged violations of the Health Protection Regulations at Downing Street on May 20, 2020, The Guardian reported. As per the report, a leaked email from one of the top officials of the Prime Minister revealed that over 100 Downing Street staff were invited to the "Bring Your Own Booze" (BYOB) party. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also been accused of personally attending the party in the No.10 garden during the first COVID-19 lockdown in the country. According to a report by the Sunday Times, Johnson attended the event with his wife despite the strict Coronavirus restrictions which banned outdoor gatherings. The report came after Dominic Cummings, Johnson's former top adviser, claimed that the "BYOB" party was held at the Downing Street garden just five days after the PM along with some staff members was pictured with wine and cheese. 

A campaign group files lawsuit against the Met police

According to a senior police source familiar with the regulations, the drinks party at Downing Street was a blatant violation of the regulations in effect at that time. "A booze-up in the garden was definitely against the regulations put in place in the country," he told as per The Guardian. The Met is also facing legal action in an attempt to compel it to explain why it failed to act. Meanwhile, The Good Law Project, a campaign group, stated that it had filed a lawsuit against the Met for failing to investigate claims of another Downing Street party on December 18, 2020. 

Sue Gray is leading the probe into the incident

Lady Jones, a Green Party peer, stated that the invitation to the May 2020 party sent by PM's top aide was a matter of great concern. "This garden party raises serious concerns for the Metropolitan Police Service, as its officers must have watched the event on their surveillance cameras and must have been aware of the rules in effect at the time," she added as per The Guardian. It should be mentioned here that the probe into lockdown-gatherings at Downing Street and across other government officials is being led by Sue Gray, a veteran Cabinet Office official.

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