• Boris Johnson resigned last summer as Prime Minister after a series of scandals, the "partygate", over parties organized within the government and his cabinet during the lockdown.
  • While a parliamentary inquiry is soon to deliver its conclusions, the "Cabinet office" of the executive has transmitted to the Metropolitan Police new elements that would incriminate the former mayor of London.
  • What do these new revelations contain? How did Boris Johnson react? 20 Minutes takes stock.

It's a party at BoJo, but not in a good way. Already forced to resign last summer, after the "partygate" scandal, the former Prime Minister has recently been the subject of new reports of violations of anti-Covid rules. If the police are in the process of "evaluating" this information, the former mayor of London is still under a parliamentary inquiry in this case that could outright cost him his seat as an MP. 20 Minutes takes stock.

Can we have a summary of partygate, part 1?

Let's rewind and recap the story. In early January 2022, the television channel ITV revealed that a party was organized in a cabinet room on June 19, 2020, on the occasion of Boris Johnson's birthday. The problem? At this date, the country is still in lockdown, in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic. The revelations follow one another: drinks every Friday, a small aperitif the day before Prince Philipp's funeral... If BoJo is not at the origin of these small jumps, his responsibility as head of government is clearly engaged in the (lack of) control of his staff, especially since he admits to having passed to throw a bucket at it.

Two investigations are opened, including one launched by the police. The Prime Minister then received an unprecedented fine. And if he manages to stay in office for a while, despite a vote of no confidence in his ranks and the obligation to apologize to the Queen, the most beautiful blonde lock in London throws in the towel in July 2022 after cascading resignations in his government. Starting with that of the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

What are the latest revelations?

As part of the parliamentary inquiry into the handling of the pandemic, the executive "Cabinet Office" has reportedly found new evidence on these transgressions under BoJo, the Times reports. London police said they were "assessing" information provided by the Cabinet Office on May 19, about "potential" breaches of anti-Covid rules in Downing Street between June 2020 and May 2021.

According to the Times, Thames Valley police have also confirmed that they have received a report of events at Chequers, the country residence of British prime ministers, where friends of the prime minister are believed to have come during the lockdown. These accusations come a few days before the decision of the parliamentary committee of inquiry, which received Boris Johnson in March, responsible for determining whether the former Conservative leader lied to Parliament in this case.

What is Boris Johnson's line of defence?

The former mayor of London has not spoken publicly, but his lawyers have written to the Metropolitan Police to "explain in detail why the Cabinet Office's claims are totally wrong," according to a statement from his team. "No contact was made with Boris Johnson until these incorrect claims were made. (...) This is both bizarre and unacceptable."



The origin of the revelations is also criticized, given the ambitions of Boris Johnson to return to the political game, after losing against his former minister in October. "Whatever the political objective pursued, it is clear that this is a last-ditch attempt to prolong the parliamentary inquiry as it drew to a close and to weaken Boris Johnson," the statement said. A spokesman for Boris Johnson quoted by several British media called the latest allegations a "politically motivated scheme", accusing "people inside the government".

  • United Kingdom
  • World
  • Boris Johnson
  • Parliament
  • Covid 19
  • Inquiry