Former UK premier Johnson referred to police on new claims of coronavirus rule-breaking

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office for new claims he broke coronavirus lockdown rules, known as “partygate,” according to media reports Tuesday.

The Cabinet Office gave concerns to Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley police about new claims that Johnson broke the rules after his ministerial diary revealed visits by friends to Chequers – the prime minister’s country house -- while the rest of the country was under strict pandemic rules.

"Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary were queried by the Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry. Following an examination of the entries, Mr Johnson’s lawyers wrote to the Cabinet Office and privileges committee explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations," The Times reported, citing a spokesman for Johnson.

The report said the alleged breaches involved Johnson’s family and friends, however, a source close to Johnson denied the allegations.

speaking before a committee in March that is investigating his social distancing breaches during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Johnson said "hand on heart, I did not lie to the House.”

Partygate was the name given to the scandal that saw dozens of parties held during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Prime Minister's Office and government departments that were exposed in the media.

Johnson was ousted by his own party MPs in July 2022 following a series of allegations.