The British government has asked police to investigate a dozen meetings former prime minister Boris Johnson held at Downing Street and at Checkers, an official residence outside the city. Officials reviewing official records believe Johnson took part in about 12 previously undisclosed events that did not comply with government-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.
As the newspaper reports guardianThese are social gatherings at the seat of government and the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street and Checkers, a mansion in north-west London usually reserved for receiving heads of state from other countries and used by Johnson and his family as a prison. in 2020 and 2021. There are no details yet of what type of meetings there were, but a source told this newspaper that there were “criminal” indications of the regulations in place at the time. Rachel Johnson, sister of the Prime Minister, Says “all rules were followed” when he was a guest at Checkers.
In April 2022, the police already fined Johnson, his wife Kerry and current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for breaking the rules for gathering or celebrating with too many people, failing to maintain safety distances and failing to comply with work exemption requirements. The most restrictive times (the UK was one of the countries with the longest lockdowns in 2020 and 2021). This new inquiry could lead to new sanctions for Johnson and other public servants still in government, but the main outcome could be in the House of Commons next month.
A parliamentary commission investigating the former prime minister’s conduct is expected to decide at the end of June whether to sanction him for lying to the House of Commons and insisting he was unaware of the breach. If the commission suspends Johnson for at least 10 days, it means he will have to vacate his seat. House that is the majority ToriHe must approve any sanctions against Johnson before that happens.
Boris in Texas
The former prime minister, who resigned in July last year, blames the incumbent Prime Minister He organized a prosecution against him for political reasons. Johnson, what? I was in Dallas and Austin this weekIn Texas, he repeats that this is a “witch hunt” by his own party and his former minister.
But Sunak’s office says he didn’t even know which officials had tipped off police about these latest suspicious developments. It comes after Johnson’s lawyers, who are responsible for representing him in another official inquiry into his handling of the pandemic, spoke to cabinet members about the official diaries that describe the prime minister’s activities and show suspicious events with family and friends. According to the newspaper timeBe the first to publish information about a new study.
A Cabinet spokesman said the information was “identified as part of a normal review of potentially relevant documents”. Heather Hallett, the former judge and member of the House of Lords in charge of the pandemic management inquiry, has asked for Johnson’s full diaries and WhatsApp messages.
Thames Valley Police, which is responsible for the area where the Checkers’ residence is located, said they received information about a possible breach of sanitary regulations on May 18, two days earlier, after first contact. According to Downing Street, Sunak learned about the data being sent to the police between May 19 and 23.
When asked if Sunak was involved in any suspicious activity, his representative replied: “No, of course not.”
Source: El Diario
