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| Police to investigate Downing Street lockdown parties | Police to investigate Downing Street lockdown parties |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
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| Watch Dame Cressida Dick announce the Met Police's investigation into No 10 lockdown parties | Watch Dame Cressida Dick announce the Met Police's investigation into No 10 lockdown parties |
| The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into parties held in No 10 during the coronavirus pandemic. | The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into parties held in No 10 during the coronavirus pandemic. |
| Commissioner Cressida Dick said they were looking into "potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations" in Downing Street and Whitehall since 2020. | Commissioner Cressida Dick said they were looking into "potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations" in Downing Street and Whitehall since 2020. |
| She said the investigation was launched as a "result of the information provided by the Cabinet Office inquiry team", led by civil servant Sue Gray. | She said the investigation was launched as a "result of the information provided by the Cabinet Office inquiry team", led by civil servant Sue Gray. |
| The BBC understands the report won't be published while police investigate. | |
| Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has renewed calls for Boris Johnson to resign in light of the inquiry, calling him a "national distraction". | |
| She will ask the government an urgent question in the Commons about the police investigation at 12:30 GMT. | |
| The news comes after fresh allegations of a birthday party being held for the prime minister in June 2020. | The news comes after fresh allegations of a birthday party being held for the prime minister in June 2020. |
| Birthday celebration for PM sparks new party row | Birthday celebration for PM sparks new party row |
| Analysis: Birthday claims add to PM's political baggage | Analysis: Birthday claims add to PM's political baggage |
| Sue Gray report: What exactly is she looking at? | Sue Gray report: What exactly is she looking at? |
| Downing Street has admitted that staff gathered inside No 10 to celebrate Mr Johnson's birthday when the first Covid lockdown was still in place. | |
| But ministers have disputed the number of people attending, and called for "patience" while Ms Gray's inquiry is carried out to establish the facts. | But ministers have disputed the number of people attending, and called for "patience" while Ms Gray's inquiry is carried out to establish the facts. |
| 'Deep concern' | 'Deep concern' |
| Dame Cressida made the announcement about the police investigation while facing questions from the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee on Tuesday. | Dame Cressida made the announcement about the police investigation while facing questions from the London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee on Tuesday. |
| She said she understood the "deep public concern" about the allegations of parties inside No 10, along with the "huge sacrifices" the public had made during the pandemic. | She said she understood the "deep public concern" about the allegations of parties inside No 10, along with the "huge sacrifices" the public had made during the pandemic. |
| And she said it would "not normally be a proportionate use of time" for the force to investigate rule breaches as far back as two years, but that the police would look at allegations that "appeared to be the most serious and flagrant breach" of regulations. | |
| She outlined the guidelines on when allegations of past breaches would be investigated, saying the factors the police considered were: that there was evidence that those involved "knew, or ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence", where not investigating "would significantly undermine the legitimacy of the law" and "where there was little ambiguity around the absence of any reasonable defence". | |
| Dame Cressida would not say which parties were being investigated and said the inquiry did not mean fixed penalty notices would be issued "in every instance and to every person involved". | |
| While she said the force would not give "a running commentary" on the case, they would provide updates at "significant points". | |
| The first thing is to have a sense of proportion. | The first thing is to have a sense of proportion. |
| When you hear the words, "Met Police, investigation, criminal, Downing Street", that sounds incredibly dramatic. | When you hear the words, "Met Police, investigation, criminal, Downing Street", that sounds incredibly dramatic. |
| This is a big development in this story, but we are talking about the potential issuing of fixed penalty notices - fines - not about big criminal trials or people going to prison. | This is a big development in this story, but we are talking about the potential issuing of fixed penalty notices - fines - not about big criminal trials or people going to prison. |
| So it is important to keep that sense of perspective. | So it is important to keep that sense of perspective. |
| There are also lots of things we don't know about this police investigation. | There are also lots of things we don't know about this police investigation. |
| We don't know how many of these high-profile parties are now being investigated and crucially we don't know if they were parties attended by the prime minister. | We don't know how many of these high-profile parties are now being investigated and crucially we don't know if they were parties attended by the prime minister. |
| We also don't know if the prime minister is in the frame for being interviewed by the police. | We also don't know if the prime minister is in the frame for being interviewed by the police. |
| So, lots of unanswered questions, but it means this row is going to rumble on at a much higher volume for a lot longer. | So, lots of unanswered questions, but it means this row is going to rumble on at a much higher volume for a lot longer. |
| London Mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the investigation, saying: "The public rightly expect the police to uphold the law without fear or favour, no matter who that involves, and I have been clear that members of the public must be able to expect the highest standards from everyone, including the prime minister and those around him. | |
| "No one is above the law. There cannot be one rule for the government and another for everyone else." | |
| His Labour colleague, Ms Rayner, also welcomed the inquiry, but added: "With Boris Johnson's Downing Street now under police investigation, how on earth can he think he can stay on as prime minister? | |
| "Boris Johnson is a national distraction. Conservative MPs should stop propping him up and he should finally do the decent thing and resign." | |
| The Gray report | |
| Westminster has been eagerly awaiting the report from senior civil servant Ms Gray into the list of alleged parties that took place over different lockdowns throughout the pandemic, including the birthday party. | |
| While some Tory MPs have already openly called for Mr Johnson to go, others have said they are waiting to read her report before deciding on the PM's future. | |
| But while the Cabinet Office has said her inquiry will continue at the same time as the Met's, the BBC understands Ms Gray's final report - which had been expected to be published this week - will now be delayed while the police carry out their own work. | |
| And it is not yet clear how long the force's investigation will take. |