Rees-Mogg says PM wouldn't need to resign if interviewed under caution

Jacob Rees-Mogg says Boris would NOT need to resign if he was interviewed under caution over Partygate because ‘people are innocent until proved guilty’

• On PM being interviewed under caution, Jacob Rees-Mogg said: ‘Of course that wouldn’t be resigning matter’
• Boris Johnson has run the gauntlet of PMQs as he waits nervously for the results of the Partygate inquiry 
• Downing Street has not received the report yet, but it could be handed over by Cabinet Office imminently  
• Ms Gray is understood to have told No 10 she expects findings to be released in full within ‘hours’ of receipt  
• Scotland Yard has announced that it is investigating lockdown breaches in Downing Street and in Whitehall
• Premier fighting on another front as leaked email suggests he did approve airlift of animal charity from Kabul 
• Mr Johnson flatly denied involvement in the decision for stranded campaigner with links to his wife Carrie 

How (and when) WILL Sue Gray’s Partygate report be published?

Sue Gray’s long-awaited report is imminent – but there are still questions about the process for it being released.

The first stage is for the top civil servant to hand the report over to the PM.

That has yet to happen, with redrafting, final legal checks and proofreading believed to be the hold-up.

At that point Boris Johnson will get to read the document – although it is thought he will not be permitted to see evidence such as WhatsApps and emails that might put staff in a difficult position.

Mr Johnson has control of the timing of publication, although he will want it out as soon as possible.

He will need to decide on his response and write a statement. 

No10 will need to get approval from Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for an emergency statement to Parliament, which is likely to happen several hours after the publication to avoid accusations of dodging scrutiny.

Downing Street has indicated that the report will be published in the form that Mr Johnson himself sees it. 

Boris Johnson would not need to resign if he was interviewed under caution over Partygate because ‘people are innocent until proved guilty’, Jacob Rees-Mogg said tonight.

The Commons leader said in his experience, ‘very few people do lie in public life’ and he added that ‘lying in public life is not a sensible thing to do, because it gets found out’.

Asked if Mr Johnson would need to resign if he was interviewed under caution by police, he told Channel 4 News: ‘No, of course that wouldn’t be a resigning matter, because people are innocent in this country until proved guilty.

‘And it is worth bearing in mind that the police themselves have said that the fact that they are investigating something doesn’t mean that any crime has necessarily been committed, that they are investigating because that is what the police do.’

The Prime Minister and his aides were left sweating tonight with their careers on a knife edge as the House of Commons broke up with no sign of the Partygate report.

Despite hours of intense rumours, Sue Gray has yet to hand the PM what is expected to be a damning assessment of alleged lockdown breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall.

The Commons rose at 4.43pm – nearly three hours early – meaning that there is no chance of Mr Johnson giving his version of events in a promised statement.

It is understood there is no certainty that Ms Gray will complete her work tonight, with mystery surrounding the exact cause of the hold-up. 

The Cabinet Office redrafting, squaring issues with lawyers and police, and HR red tape are among the things being blamed. ‘They are still going through the process of finalising it,’ one source told MailOnline. ‘There are lots of things that need to be checked and re-checked.’

Mr Rees-Mogg admitted he ‘doesn’t know’ when the report will be published because civil service inquisitor Ms Gray is ‘independent’.

He added: ‘She is preparing the report in her own time without coming under pressure from the government. It’s quite right that a member of government does not know.’ 

Mr Johnson blustered his way through another bruising PMQs this afternoon, insisting he will not quit and even suggesting he is the victim of a Remainer conspiracy.

The premier confirmed that he is subject to ministerial convention that he would need to resign for ‘knowingly misleading’ Parliament. 

But asked by Keir Starmer if he will fall on his sword, Mr Johnson said bluntly ‘no’. He also jibed that there are ‘more important’ issues going on in the world, including the standoff with Russia over Ukraine. 

In a swipe at Tory critics, he said that ‘for all sorts of reasons many people may want me out of the way’ – but appealed to his supporters by pointing out he ‘delivered on Brexit’. 

Tension built at Westminster through the day as the hours ticked by without Ms Gray handing over her report. MPs have demanded several hours to digest the contents.

And frustration grew as it failed to materialise. One irritated Parliamentary official trying to arrange business swiped that it would be ‘good to hear’ from the government on what they wanted to do.  

And as the Commons wound up, a Whitehall wag joked: ‘Go and have some wine and cheese. We’ll try again tomorrow.’ 

It is understood there is no formal process of ‘Maxwellisation’ – officially putting allegations in the report to those criticised before publication – but ‘due diligence’ is being carried out where any individuals are named. 

Sources insisted that once the document is delivered by Ms Gray it will be ‘up to No10 how they do parliament and publication’. 

The level of criticism in the Partygate report – and whether it is directed at Mr Johnson personally – will be critical to his chances of survival, after Tories held off mounting a coup to see the results.

The PM spend much of the afternoon hosting wavering MPs in his Commons office, where he apparently stressed that they should not do Labour’s work by rebelling.

Allies have been desperately mobilising to shore up the premier, with Jacob Rees-Mogg warning that ousting him would almost certainly trigger a snap general election. Another loyalist, Andrew Rosindell, attempted to play down the seriousness of the alleged offences. ‘He has not robbed a bank,’ the backbenchers griped. 

But even if Mr Johnson can stave off the immediate threat the police have already announced they have been supplied with enough material to launch a criminal probe, which could see him become the first sitting PM ever interviewed under caution. 

No premier has been convicted of a crime, and the stakes have been raised dramatically now Mr Johnson and staff are facing questioning from police rather than civil servants. 

In a stormy PMQs session, Sir Keir said: ‘On December 1, the Prime Minister told this House in relation to parties during lockdown: ‘All guidance was followed completely in Number 10’, from that despatch box.

‘On December 8 the Prime Minister told this House: ‘I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged there was no party’. So since he acknowledges the ministerial code applies to him, will he now resign?’

How could Boris Johnson be ousted by Tory MPs?  

Boris Johnson is under huge pressure over Partygate, with speculation he might be forced to quit.

But barring resignation, the Tories have rules on how to oust and replace the leader. 

What is the mechanism for removing the Tory leader? Tory Party rules allow the MPs to force a vote of no confidence in their leader.

How is that triggered? A vote is in the hands of the chairman of the Tory Party’s backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.

A vote of no confidence must be held if 15 per cent of Tory MPs write to the chairman. Currently that threshold is 54 MPs.

Letters are confidential unless the MP sending it makes it public. This means only Sir Graham knows how many letters there are. 

What happens when the threshold is reached? A vote is held, with the leader technically only needing to win support from a simple majority of MPs

But in reality, a solid victory is essential for them to stay in post.

What happens if the leader loses? 

The leader is sacked if they do not win a majority of votes from MPs, and a leadership contest begins in which they cannot stand.

However, they typically stay on as Prime Minister until a replacement is elected. 

Mr Johnson replied: ‘No, Mr Speaker. Since he asked about Covid restrictions, let me just remind the House, and indeed remind the country, that he has been relentlessly opportunistic throughout.

‘He has flip-flopped from one side to the other, he would have kept us in lockdown in the summer, he would have taken us back into lockdown at Christmas.

‘It is precisely because we didn’t listen to Captain Hindsight that we have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and we have got all the big calls right.’ 

The stage is set for an explosive row about how much of the report is released, after an extraordinary day of chaos yesterday with frantic behind-the-scenes manoeuvring. 

The Cabinet Office initially suggested yesterday that Ms Gray would hold off publishing until the Met had completed their probe.

But that stance was abandoned after Scotland Yard made clear they had no objection to the findings being issued in full. 

In a round of interviews this morning, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss indicated that some of the report might be held back for ‘security’ reasons.

Asked if the report will be published in full, Ms Truss told Sky News: ‘We have been absolutely clear that we will publish the findings of the report.

‘We don’t know the content of the report, so there could be, for example, security issues that mean parts of it are problematic to publish. But we will absolutely publish the findings of the report.’

Confronted with his previous promises on full publication, Mr Johnson told MPs: ‘Of course when I receive it of course I will do exactly what I said.’ 

And a Downing Street spokesman said they intended to publish the report ‘as received’.

‘What we receive we want to publish, that’s our intention,’ they said. 

Ms Truss said the government had to acknowledge ‘public anger’. But she said: ‘I think the PM should continue in office. I think he is doing a great job… I support him 100 per cent.’ 

One Tory plotter last night claimed five more MPs are poised to call for the PM’s resignation as soon as the report is published.

A no-confidence vote is automatically triggered when 54 MPs send letters to the chair of the powerful 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady – although he never discloses how many he has received before the threshold is reached.  

The PM faces the most dangerous spell of his premiership as:

• Mr Johnson faced claims that he kept news of the police probe from senior ministers when Cabinet met on Tuesday, leaving them to find out from the media when they turned on their phones as they left No10;
• Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors has been named as the senior officer leading the investigation into No 10 parties. She was previously embroiled in a row over the policing of the Sarah Everard vigil;
• Tory MPs have ridiculed Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns after he defended Mr Johnson’s presence at a birthday bash in the Cabinet room on June 19, 2020 by insisting he had been ‘ambushed with a cake’;   
• The PM’s official spokesman signalled that Mr Johnson is willing to speak to police investigating the alleged breaches of coronavirus rules over the past two years.

A beleaguered Boris Johnson batted away calls from the Labour Leader to resign for misleading the House – as he indicated he still has not taken delivery of Sue Gray’s findings on the swathe of allegedly lockdown-busting gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall

Asked if the PM would need to resign if he was interviewed under caution by police, Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said: ‘No, of course that wouldn’t be a resigning matter, because people are innocent in this country until proved guilty’

But Foreign Office emails published today show officials discussing ‘the PM’s decision’ to help Mr Farthing get onto some of the last planes out of the besieged city’s airport

Asked by Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) if he will fall on his sword, Mr Johnson said bluntly ‘no’

The PMQs session comes as tension builds at Westminster with so much on the line, as helicopters circle overhead

The Prime Minister has previously denied intervening to allow Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing and members of his Nawzad charity flee Kabul at the expense of locals as the extremists closed in last summer.

Police warn Boris and the rulebreakers if you lie to us, you could go to prison: Met ‘ready to seize phones, grill guests’ – and could even issue SEARCH WARRANT

Boris Johnson and his fellow rule breakers risk being jailed if they lie to officers investigating Partygate, police sources warned today, as Met insiders said they stand ready to use the full force of their powers – including issuing search warrants and seizing phone records.  

Detectives will try to obtain material that has been withheld from Sue Gray’s inquiry into the lockdown-breaking parties as part of the Met’s criminal investigation, amid claims No10 staffers have deliberately withheld information from the Cabinet Office inquiry. 

Anyone admitting to attending an illegal gathering is unlikely to receive anything more than a £100 fixed penalty notice, a serving Inspector told MailOnline, but providing false evidence to officers or interfering with their investigation could result in a charge of perverting the course of justice – which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

The last MP to be prosecuted under this offence was Labour’s Fiona Onasanya, after she lied to police to avoid a speeding ticket. She was sentenced to three months in jail. 

Today, former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal suggested the Met could also seek to charge senior figures with the similarly serious offence of misconduct in public office, adding: ‘I’d be very worried it I was the PM’.  

The Met’s involvement brings far more firepower to the Partygate probe that Ms Gray could draw on as a civil servant, including the ability to seize phone records and compel guests to submit to interviews. 

Sources at the force told The Times they would have ‘no hesitation’ in using these powers if there was any evidence of a cover-up, although only as a last resort. 

‘The detectives will be looking to prove the people who were claimed to have been in the garden were actually there by using evidence from interviews and checking any entry and exit information,’ he told MailOnline. 

‘If the suspects admit to being there, the result will be a fixed penalty notice. But if they deny it then a police supervisor will have to review the evidence and decide whether the person should be charged to appear in court.’

The Inspector said officers could ask a magistrate for a Section 8 PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) search warrant, but this would usually only happen for serious crimes and Covid breaches ‘would be unlikely to meet the threshold’. 

He said anyone caught providing false information to officers could find themselves in far more trouble than if they just admitted to the offence.  

‘If you say you didn’t do it and claim you were somewhere else and show evidence that turns out to be false then you could be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice.

‘That would be far more serious than taking an a fixed penalty notice. You could get a criminal record and go to prison. People need to be aware that their lies could be more costly than telling the truth.’ 

Mr Johnson was accused of another lie today as damning emails emerged suggesting he did help an animal charity with an airlift out of Kabul – as he waits for the results of the Partygate report.

The PM has previously denied intervening to allow Paul ‘Pen’ Farthing – who has friends in common with Carrie Johnson – and members of his Nowzad charity to flee Kabul at the expense of locals as the extremists closed in last summer.

But Foreign Office emails published today – including from the private office of Mrs Johnson’s close ally Lord Goldsmith – show officials discussing ‘the PM’s decision’ to help Mr Farthing get onto some of the last planes out of the besieged city’s airport.

The heavily redacted correspondence suggests Mr Farthing and his team be classified as animal vets in order to justify their rescue.

‘Having regard to the Prime Minister’s Nowzad decision, the Foreign Secretary might consider the [details redacted] vets and their dependents should be included. They might be able to get to the airport with their dependents in time.’

Downing Street has previously said neither of the Johnsons had any involvement, and insisted today: ‘It remains the case that the PM didn’t instruct officials to take any particular course of action.’ 

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also said that ‘at no point’ was he ‘directed’ by Mr Johnson to prioritise evacuating the Nowzad contingent. 

But Labour branded Mr Johnson a ‘pathological liar’.

And the whistleblower revelation will inflict more damage on Mr Johnson,

Mr Johnson ‘authorised’ for ‘staff and animals’ at Nowzad charity ‘to be evacuated’ from Afghanistan, according written evidence published by the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee.

An email from an aide in the office of Lord Goldsmith said: ‘[animal charity – name redacted] are a [details redacted] animal charity operating in Kabul and seeking to evacuation their [details redacted] members of staff (no animals).

‘Equivalent charity Nowzad, run by an ex-Royal Marine, has received a lot of publicity and the PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated, [animal charity – name redacted] are hoping to be treated in the same capacity (granted LOTR).’

The PM has previously denied that he intervened to help the evacuation of Nowzad officials during the evacuation in summer 2021.

He told reporters in December: ‘That’s complete nonsense.’ 

Whistleblower Raphael Marshall wrote in evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee that a senior official was heard saying Boris Johnson had issued the call for evacuation of Nowzad staff.

Mr Marshall wrote: ‘On Wednesday 25 August, I heard the senior official (‘Crisis Silver’) responsible for Afghan Special Cases say that they had just received an instruction from the Prime Minister to ‘call-forward’ Nowzad’s staff to Kabul Airport for evacuation.

‘I then heard Silver instruct team members to send the names and passport details of Nowzad’s staff to the Home Office for security-checks.

‘A colleague said ‘we are doing the dogs’ or ‘we are doing the dog people’. A colleague said that the Prime Minister had issued this instruction in a COBR meeting. It is possible the high-level meeting referred to was in-fact technically a National Security Council meeting.’

Mr Marshall also said that multiple colleagues wrote on the Teams message system that the Prime Minister had given an instruction over Nowzad staff.

‘Several colleagues sent messages on the Afghan Special Cases group on Microsoft Teams to the effect that the Prime Minister had instructed us to call-forward Nowzad’s staff for evacuation,’ he wrote.

Mr Marshall said it was ‘not credible’ for No10 to claim Trudy Harrison, a former parliamentary private secretary to the Prime Minister, was acting in her capacity as a constituency MP when she wrote a letter to Pen Farthing confirming his staff and animals could be evacuated.

‘It is not credible to suggest that the ‘call-forward’ of Nowzad’s staff was initiated by the Prime Minister’s then Parliamentary Private Secretary Trudy Harrison MP in her capacity as MP for Copeland,’ he said.

‘A request for the evacuation of Nowzad’s staff from Ms Harrison in her capacity as MP for Copeland would have been disregarded.’

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said: ‘The PM’s corrosive and chronic dishonesty is debasing his office.

Here’s Johnson denying it, and here’s the email showing it happened. The man is a pathological liar.

‘Untrustworthy, unlikeable and absolutely unsuitable for the office of Prime Minister.’

The Defence Secretary said ‘at no point’ was he directed by Mr Johnson to ‘evacuate Pen Farthing, his workforce or his pets’ from Afghanistan.

In a statement, Mr Wallace said: ‘I have seen the reports of emails concerning Pen Farthing and the pet evacuation.

‘The evacuation of Kabul under Operation Pitting was run under my authority and delivered by the UK military through the Chief of Joint Operations.

‘At no point were he or I directed by the Prime Minister to evacuate Pen Farthing, his workforce or his pets.

‘As I made clear at the time, we were not going to put pets before people and as the actions showed, Pen Farthing left last and his workforce had to leave after the evacuation was concluded via other means.

‘The evacuation was a Ministry of Defence led operation, supported by application processing by the Home Office and FCDO. The idea that an environment minister and his officials had any authority or responsibility in the running of the evacuation is ludicrous.

‘I am however aware of false claims made throughout by Nowzad that led to considerable distress and distraction to those trying to save lives in very difficult circumstances.’

On the Partygate front, Ms Gray is reported to have told Number 10 that she expects her findings to be released in full within ‘hours’ of them being handed to Downing Street.

The damning emails 

August 25, 12:20pm

From: Official in Lord Goldsmith’s private office

To: FCDO official

Subject: Animal Charity for Evacuation from Kabul 

‘[animal charity – name redacted] are a [details redacted] animal charity operating in Kabul and seeking to evacuation (sic) their [details redacted] members of staff (no animals). 

‘Equivalent charity Nowzad, run by an ex-Royal Marine, has received a lot of publicity and the PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated, [animal charity – name redacted] are hoping to be treated in the same capacity (granted LOTR).’

August 25, 5.42pm 

From: FCDO official 

To: Foreign Secretary’s Private Office  

Subject: Evacuation – LOTR. URGENT for FS (Foreign Secretary) views

‘In light of the PM’s decision earlier today to evacuate the staff of the Nowzad animal charity, the [animal charity – name redacted] (another animal rights NGO) is asking for agreement to the entry of [details redacted] staff, all Afghan nationals…

‘Having regard to the Prime Minister’s Nowzad decision, the Foreign Secretary might consider the [details redacted] vets and their dependents should be included. They might be able to get to the airport with their dependents in time.’  

But the report has yet to be delivered to No10, and time is running short with Parliament due to rise in a few hours. 

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said talks are ongoing with Downing Street and Jacob Rees-Mogg in a bid to give MPs ‘time to digest’ Sue Gray’s report on party allegations.

Conservative MP Peter Bone raising a point of order, asked for assurances that a statement on the report will be given to the Commons on Friday if it is released on Thursday evening.

Sir Lindsay said he has ‘not been given notice of the date or time of any statement’, adding in the Commons: ‘The Prime Minister has promised to make a statement.

‘What I would expect is that members will be able to see the report and I would hope time will be given for members to digest that.’

He added: ‘I’m more than happy to adjourn and leave it until later tonight if it arrives now, to give good time, I’m happy to work with the Leader of the House to ensure this House is treated correctly, fairly and in the right manner.’

Asked this afternoon if Holocaust Memorial Day could prevent publication tomorrow, the PM’s spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the convention, we can discuss that with the speaker but that is not something that would necessarily restrict it. But again we are getting into speculation about particular days and have not received the report so I can’t comment on exactly what day it might be.’ 

The chairman of the Commons Standards Committee has warned that Mr Johnson could attempt ‘jiggery-pokery’ to dodge scrutiny. 

Labour MP Chris Bryant said the PM was likely intending to ‘manipulate Parliament’ by depriving the leader of the opposition of time to respond properly in the House of Commons. 

Sky News claimed last night that Ms Gray had been handed photographs of Boris Johnson next to wine bottles at an alleged lockdown breaking party, and has identified eight parties that breached the rules. 

Many Tory MPs are awaiting the findings before deciding whether to submit letters of no confidence in Johnson that could topple him as Prime Minister and trigger a Tory leadership contest.

Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon said he would like to see the PM ‘respond and take responsibility’ following the news that Boris Johnson faces a police interview over alleged coronavirus rule-breaking parties.

Mr Halfon told Times Radio: ‘I don’t need Sue Gray or the police to tell me or my constituents of Harlow that what’s gone on has been pretty awful. We all feel let down and disappointed.

‘We’ve just been talking about education and what I’d say is, I call it the three Rs, I’d like to see the three Rs from the Prime Minister.

‘How he’s going to respond to the anguish and upset from the public, how he’s going to take responsibility himself and his own staff and how he’s going to reset the Government. I’ll wait for the parliamentary statement.’

Former minister Matt Warman said the accusations against Mr Johnson were ‘unedifying’.

He told Times Radio: ‘I definitely think it’s unedifying. I definitely think it’s a huge distraction from all the really important work that the Government is doing and needs to get on with.

‘I suppose that is one of the reasons why the PM commissioned Sue Gray’s report in the first place… because he recognises the need to draw a line and to establish some of the facts.’

Asked what he will do next if it is found that Mr Johnson misled Parliament, Mr Warman said that ‘prejudging both the inquiry and the Metropolitan Police work is not a helpful starting point’.

‘I think what we should be doing is establishing those facts and then looking at them at that point, rather than saying ‘Well, here’s a series of ever more or less unlikely hypotheticals’,’ he added. 

Potentially more serious for the PM is Scotland Yard’s criminal investigation into the parties which was announced yesterday.

Police sources told The Times that it was ‘inevitable’ that the PM would have to speak to detectives, making him the second sitting Prime Minister to be interviewed after Tony Blair was quizzed over the cash-for-honours scandal 15 years ago.

However Blair was interviewed as a witness – and no sitting Prime Minister has ever been interviewed under caution which requires officers to read them their rights before the questions begin. Reports at the time indicated that Blair would resign if he was interviewed under caution.  

The final report, which could name senior political figures and civil servants, was likely to list Ms Gray’s conclusions but would not include a ‘significant amount of evidence’ from interviews, such as photos or messages. 

Senior Tories last night called for a ‘sense of perspective’ over the ‘partygate’ row as police launched a formal probe.

They urged colleagues and critics of Mr Johnson to let him try to shore up the West’s response to Russian aggression in Ukraine and deal with the cost of living crisis.

Former minister Crispin Blunt said: ‘We’ve lost our sense of perspective on this. Everybody needs to take a step back.’ The warning followed a dramatic announcement that Scotland Yard will now investigate ‘potential breaches of Covid regulations’ at numerous alleged events in No 10.

But Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns faced ridicule for defending Mr Johnson’s presence at a surprise birthday bash in the Cabinet room on June 19 2020 when social events indoors were banned, saying he had been ‘ambushed with a cake’. 

Party time in Whitehall: The alleged gatherings during the pandemic  

Here is a list of the alleged gatherings, which in several cases have been admitted to.

– May 15 2020: Downing Street garden party

Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie, former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, and Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, were all pictured, in a photograph leaked to The Guardian, sitting around a table in the No 10 garden, with wine and cheese in front of them.

Some 15 other people were also in the photograph, but the Prime Minister has insisted this was a work meeting, saying: ‘Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work.’

– May 20 2020: BYOB garden party

The revelation came in an email, leaked to ITV, from Mr Reynolds to more than 100 Downing Street employees inviting them to ‘bring your own booze’ for an evening gathering.

Multiple reports have suggested the Prime Minister attended the event with his wife.

– June 19 2020: The PM’s birthday party

In another huge blow to the Prime Minister’s authority, he attended a gathering organised by his wife Carrie in the Cabinet Room in No10 on June 19, 2020, to celebrate turning 56. 

Those present included the interior designer Lulu Lytle, who was responsible for a six-figure revamp of the PM’s official flat, who joined in with a chorus of happy birthday as the PM was presented with a Union Jack cake.

– November 13 2020: Leaving party for senior aide

According to reports at the time, Mr Johnson gave a leaving speech for Lee Cain, his departing director of communications and a close ally of Mr Cummings.

– November 13 2020: Johnsons’ flat party

There are allegations that the Prime Minister’s then fiancee hosted parties in their flat, with one such event said to have taken place on November 13, the night Mr Cummings departed No 10.

A spokesman for Mrs Johnson has called the claim ‘total nonsense’.

– November 25 2020: Treasury drinks

A Treasury spokesman told The Times that a number of staff had gone into the office to work on the Spending Review.

He said: ‘We have been made aware that a small number of those staff had impromptu drinks around their desks after the event.’

– November 27 2020: Second staff leaving do

The Mirror reported that the Prime Minister gave a farewell speech to an aide at the end of November while the lockdown in England was still in place.

Other reports have said the leaving do was for Cleo Watson, a senior Downing Street aide and ally of Mr Cummings.

– December 10 2020: Department for Education party

The DfE confirmed a social event had happened after The Mirror reported that former education secretary Gavin Williamson threw a party and delivered a short speech at an event organised at his department’s Whitehall headquarters.

A spokesman acknowledged that ‘it would have been better not to have gathered in this way at that particular time’.

– December 11 2020: Wine fridge delivered to Downing Street for staff’s ‘wine-time Fridays’

A fridge with the capacity for 34 wine bottles was delivered through the back door of No 10.

According to sources cited by The Mirror, the fridge became necessary for staff’s ‘wine-time Fridays’ which were held throughout lockdown, with the Prime Minister allegedly encouraging the parties to help aides ‘let off steam’.

The regular social gatherings were reported to be particularly popular among staff between autumn 2020 and spring 2020 when staff were ‘fatigued’ with tough Covid restrictions that banned socialising.

Mr Johnson was said to have attended a ‘handful’ of these gatherings.

– December 14 2020: Party featuring Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and staff

Shaun Bailey apologised ‘unreservedly’ for attending the gathering at Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) organised by staff on his campaign team.

‘It was a serious error of judgment at a time when Londoners were making immense sacrifices to keep us all safe and I regret it wholeheartedly,’ he tweeted.

He quit his role chairing the London Assembly’s Police and Crime Committee after The Mirror published a picture showing him at the gathering.

– December 15 2020: Downing Street quiz

The Prime Minister appeared on contestants’ screens at the quiz but insisted he broke no rules.

An image published by the Sunday Mirror showed Mr Johnson flanked by colleagues, one draped in tinsel and another wearing a Santa hat, in No 10.

Downing Street admitted Mr Johnson ‘briefly’ attended the quiz after the photographic evidence emerged but insisted it was a virtual event.

– December 16 2020: Department for Transport party

The Mirror reported that senior civil servants were ‘boozing and dancing’ at the event, allegedly planned by staff from Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ office.

A DfT spokesman said: ‘Fewer than a dozen staff who were working in the office had a low-key, socially distanced gathering in the large open-plan office after work on December 16, where food and drink was consumed.

‘We recognise this was inappropriate and apologise for the error of judgment.’

– December 17 2020: Cabinet Office ‘Christmas party’

A number of outlets reported that a gathering was held in the Cabinet Office on December 17.

The Times reported that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case attended the party in room 103 of the Cabinet Office, that it had been organised by a private secretary in Mr Case’s team, and that it was included in digital calendars as ‘Christmas party!’.

The Cabinet Office confirmed a quiz took place, but a spokesman said: ‘The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the team’s office on the way to his own office.’

– December 17 2020: Leaving drinks for former Covid Taskforce head

The former director-general of the Government’s Covid Taskforce said she was ‘truly sorry’ over an evening gathering in the Cabinet Office for her leaving drinks during coronavirus restrictions days before Christmas in 2020.

Kate Josephs, who is now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, said she gathered with colleagues who were in the office that day and added that she is co-operating with the probe by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

– December 18 2020: Christmas party at Downing Street

The claim which kicked off the rule-breaking allegations is that a party was held for Downing Street staff on December 18.

Officials and advisers reportedly made speeches, enjoyed a cheese board, drank together and exchanged Secret Santa gifts, although the Prime Minister is not thought to have attended.

Mr Johnson’s spokeswoman, Allegra Stratton, quit after being filmed joking about it with fellow aides at a mock press conference.

– Run up to Christmas 2020

The Daily Mirror reported that Mr Johnson attended a leaving do for defence adviser Captain Steve Higham before Christmas 2020.

The newspaper alleged the Prime Minister made a speech but No 10 did not respond to a request for comment and the Ministry of Defence declined.

– April 16 2021: Drinks and dancing the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral

The Telegraph reported that advisers and civil servants gathered after work for two separate events on the Friday night.

They were to mark the departure of James Slack, Mr Johnson’s former director of communications, and one of the Prime Minister’s personal photographers.

Mr Slack, who left his No 10 role to become deputy editor-in-chief of The Sun newspaper, said he was sorry for the ‘anger and hurt’ caused by his leaving do, while Downing Street apologised to the Queen.

The Telegraph quoted a No 10 spokesman as saying Mr Johnson was not in Downing Street that day and is said to have been at Chequers.

The newspaper reported accounts from witnesses who said alcohol was drunk and guests danced to music, adding that it had been told that around 30 people attended both events combined.

A volunteer at the charity run by former Royal Marine Paul Farthing said in December he had lobbied Carrie Johnson personally to help the menagerie of 170 animals get in the air.

Foreign Office emails published today show officials discussing ‘the PM’s decision’ to help Mr Farthing get onto some of the last planes out of the besieged city’s airport

Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick (pictured arriving at New Scotland Yard yesterday) announced that the force has now launched a probe into lockdown breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall over the past two years

The Prime Minister pictured hosting a Number 10 Christmas quiz while London was under Tier 2 ‘no mixing’ restrictions

A wine fridge is seen being delivered through the back door of Downing Street on December 11, 2020. The PM’s spokesman insisted he will ‘cooperate fully’ if required to be interviewed by police

Downing Street has conceded staff ‘gathered briefly’ in the Cabinet Room following a meeting after it was alleged 30 people attended and shared cake despite social mixing indoors being banned.

Police warn Boris and the rulebreakers if you lie to us, you could go to prison: Met ‘ready to seize phones, grill guests’ – and could even issue SEARCH WARRANT

By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent for MailOnline  

Boris Johnson and his fellow rule breakers risk being jailed if they lie to officers investigating Partygate, police sources warned today, as Met insiders said they stand ready to use the full force of their powers – including issuing search warrants and seizing phone records.  

Detectives will try to obtain material that has been withheld from Sue Gray’s inquiry into the lockdown-breaking parties as part of the Met’s criminal investigation, amid claims No10 staffers have deliberately withheld information from the Cabinet Office inquiry. 

Anyone admitting to attending an illegal gathering is unlikely to receive anything more than a £100 fixed penalty notice, a serving Inspector told MailOnline, but providing false evidence to officers or interfering with their investigation could result in a charge of perverting the course of justice – which carries a prison sentence. 

The last MP to be prosecuted under this offence was Labour’s Fiona Onasanya, after she lied to police to avoid a speeding ticket. She was sentenced to three months in jail. 

Today, former chief prosecutor Nazir Afzal suggested the Met could also seek to charge senior figures with the similarly serious offence of misconduct in public office, adding: ‘I’d be very worried it I was the PM’.  

The Met’s involvement brings far more firepower to the Partygate probe that Ms Gray could draw on as a civil servant, including the ability to seize phone records and compel guests to submit to interviews. 

Sources at the force told The Times they would have ‘no hesitation’ in using these powers if there was any evidence of a cover-up, although only as a last resort. 

‘The detectives will be looking to prove the people who were claimed to have been in the garden were actually there by using evidence from interviews and checking any entry and exit information,’ he told MailOnline. 

‘If the suspects admit to being there, the result will be a fixed penalty notice. But if they deny it then a police supervisor will have to review the evidence and decide whether the person should be charged to appear in court.’

The Inspector said officers could ask a magistrate for a Section 8 PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) search warrant, but this would usually only happen for serious crimes and Covid breaches ‘would be unlikely to meet the threshold’. 

He said anyone caught providing false information to officers could find themselves in far more trouble than if they just admitted to the offence.  

‘If you say you didn’t do it and claim you were somewhere else and show evidence that turns out to be false then you could be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice.

‘That would be far more serious than taking a fixed penalty notice. You could get a criminal record and go to prison. People need to be aware that their lies could be more costly than telling the truth.’ 

And Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said last night the ‘sooner the report comes out now the better’, adding: ‘We can’t sit under this cloud, paralysing the Prime Minister, paralysing the Government.’

Referencing the threat of Russian invasion into Ukraine, he continued: ‘These issues that are hanging over our Government at the moment, they need to be dealt with as soon as possible and I do hope that Sue Gray gets her report in tonight and it is published tomorrow.’

It is not clear whether Mr Johnson was personally involved in any of the the incidents under criminal investigation. The offences carry £100 fixed penalty fines. 

The PM’s official spokesman signalled that Mr Johnson would be willing to speak to those at Scotland Yard investigating the alleged breaches of coronavirus rules over the past two years.

However, he said Mr Johnson believes he has not broken the law.

The chaos erupted on Tuesday after it was revealed that a birthday party, complete with cake and singing, was held for Mr Johnson in No10 in June 2020. 

The police probe represents a step change in the seriousness of the situation facing the Prime Minister and senior staff at No10, who could face £100 fines, and, more seriously, the end of their political careers.  

Despite a mounting Tory revolt, a slew of MPs gave noisy support to the premier in the chamber, branding the accusations ‘vexatious’ and asking why Keir Starmer was not under investigation.

During a hearing at the London Assembly yesterday, Dame Cressida pointed out that under guidelines police have not examined historical allegations of lockdown breaches unless there is clear evidence and a lack of a defence. 

‘We have a long-established and effective working relationship with the Cabinet Office, who have an investigative capability,’ she said.

‘As you well know they have been carrying out an investigation over the last few weeks.

‘What I can tell you this morning is that as a result of the information provided by the Cabinet Office inquiry team and, secondly, my officers’ own assessment, I can confirm that the Met is now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations.’

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors, the Metropolitan Police’s lead for Covid-19 who was previously embroiled in row over policing of the Sarah Everard vigil, has been put in charge of the investigation.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: ‘The Special Enquiry Team will lead the investigations. DAC Jane Connors will oversee the investigation in her role as the Met’s lead officer for Covid.’ 

Tory MPs are on high alert for more damaging revelations after it emerged that the PM’s 56th birthday celebration included a Union Jack cake, Marks and Spencer’s nibbles and singing.

The event, first revealed by ITV, was apparently already on Ms Gray’s radar. Earlier that day Mr Johnson had posed with his arms outstretched with children at a school in Hertfordshire to show the importance of social distancing. 

In March, Mr Johnson had praised a girl named Josephine who wrote to him saying she was cancelling her seventh birthday while the pandemic was raging.  

Getting to his feet in the Commons yesterday, Mr Johnson said: ‘A few weeks ago I commissioned an independent inquiry into a series of events in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office as well as some other Whitehall departments that may have constituted potential breaches of the Covid regulations.

‘That process has quite properly involved sharing information continuously with the Metropolitan Police.

‘So I welcome the Met’s decision to conduct its own investigation because I believe this will help to give the public the clarity it needs and help to draw a line under matters.

‘But I want to reassure the House, Mr Speaker, and the country that I and the whole Government are focused 100 per cent on dealing with the people’s priorities, including the UK’s leading role in protecting freedom around the world.’

Dame Cressida told London Assembly members that investigations were carried out for ‘the most serious and flagrant type of breach’ where there was evidence and three criteria were met.

‘My three factors were and are: 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.

‘So in those cases, where those criteria were met, the guidelines suggested that we should potentially investigate further and end up giving people tickets.’

Dame Cressida said that the police officers on site at Downing Street concentrate on ‘protective security’.

She said: ‘There are a number of officers posted in the surrounds of Downing Street and indeed what we call generally the government security zone.

‘They have a very clear role and that is protective security. You’ll be aware that the ones you see are all armed, and they have a job to do.

‘In relation to anything they may have seen or heard, or done or not done. Again, I’m afraid I’m not prepared to comment.

‘But I can assure you that we are carrying out our investigations and if that is a relevant matter, we will find out about that.’

Told that there must by CCTV of the alleged breaches in Downing Street, Dame Cressida said: ‘I don’t anticipate any difficulty in obtaining the evidence that it is both necessary, proportionate and appropriate for us to obtain in order to get to the right conclusions.’ 

The Met said it had carried out ‘detailed assessments of these outline findings’ from the Cabinet Office.

The force is investigating whether regulations were breached ‘during events at Downing Street and Whitehall on a number of dates’.

‘The MPS has written to the Cabinet Office this morning with a formal request for it to refer all relevant information gathered from its inquiry in relation to events on the dates in question to support the police investigations,’ the statement said.

Boris Johnson came out fighting in the Commons yesterday after police dramatically launched an investigation into Partygate

Jacob Rees Mogg says there should be an ELECTION if Boris is ousted by the Conservative party in fresh warning to Tory MPs about perils of toppling PM over partygate 

Leader of the House of Commons and Conservative party MP Jacob Rees Mogg has claimed that there would need to be a general election if Boris Johnson were to be ousted as Prime Minister. 

Rees Mogg yesterday argued on BBC Two’s Newsnight that any would-be successor to the Prime Minister should call an election to receive the public’s backing.

There is no rule in British law stipulating that a new Tory leader would be required to call a general election after winning a party leadership race.

But Rees Mogg told Newsnight’s Kirsty Wark that Britain’s parliament has moved to ‘an essentially Presidential system’ and declared that any new PM would be ‘well-advised’ to seek a fresh mandate.

It comes as the Prime Minister and the Tory party await the findings of Whitehall ethics inquisitor Sue Gray’s report into ‘partygate’ and the alleged lockdown-breaking No10 gatherings.

Johnson could also become the first Prime Minister to be interviewed under police caution after it emerged yesterday that Scotland Yard is opening a criminal investigation into the parties.

Rees Mogg yesterday argued on BBC Two’s Newsnight that any would-be successor to the Prime Minister would be forced to call an election to receive the public’s backing, although there is no law that supports his claim

Some Conservative MPs have already publicly called for the Prime Minister’s resignation, but others have said they will await the publication of the Gray report before trying to trigger a vote of no confidence.

But Rees Mogg’s Newsnight interview suggests that supporters of Johnson among the party are keen to dissuade any attempts from rebel Tory MPs to bring down the Prime Minister by piling on the pressure of a potential general election. 

The Commons leader said: ‘It is my view that we have moved, for better or worse, to essentially a presidential system and that therefore the mandate is personal rather than entirely party, and that any Prime Minister would be very well advised to seek a fresh mandate.’

When asked whether the Prime Minister should resign if there is a photograph of him at a drinks party in No 10, Rees Mogg urged people to wait for Gray’s report to be published and denounced what he described as ‘gossip’ around the issue.

‘Trying to speculate on bits of gossip and tittle-tattle around the report doesn’t really get us anywhere,’ he added.

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