The UK Police on Friday asked the civil servant in charge of the eagerly-awaited report on a string of parties held at Prime Minister Boris Johnsons official residence during the COVID-19 lockdowns to make "minimal reference" to any events that they are also probing
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2022) The UK Police on Friday asked the civil servant in charge of the eagerly-awaited report on a string of parties held at Prime Minister Boris Johnsons official residence during the COVID-19 lockdowns to make "minimal reference" to any events that they are also probing
"For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report," the London Metropolitan Police said in a statement, arguing that they want to avoid "any prejudice" to their own investigation.
Johnson has been grappling with calls to resign after a series of revelations showed that several social gatherings were held at his offices throughout 2020 and 2021, flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules.
Following the eruption of the scandal, the prime minister ordered senior civil servant Sue Gray to conduct an internal inquiry into the allegations.
On Tuesday, the London Metropolitan Police announced that they have launched their own probe into the social events held at the prime minister's residence.
Although the Met said they are not asking for "any limitations" on other events in the government report, or for any further delay in its publication, the statement prompted a fierce reaction from Johnson�s political opponents amid speculations that Gray could now wait until the police inquiry is over to release her report.
"The Prime Minister cannot be allowed to wriggle off the hook by using the Metropolitan Police investigation as an excuse to further delay or doctor the report," Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party at the UK Parliament wrote on Twitter.
Liberal Democrat lawmaker Tim Farron also cast doubts on the police decision regarding Gray�s report as he commented on the social media platform that he suspected it "is down to incompetence rather than anything more sinister."
