Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street in November 2020
(Picture: PA Media)The Met is preparing a “more comprehensive” explanation about why it decided to fine the Prime Minister for just one of the eight lockdown events he attended in Downing Street.
After details of more than a dozen boozy parties were revealed in Sue Gray’s damning report, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper wrote to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) calling for them to examine Scotland Yard’s inquiry into parties in No10 and Whitehall.
In response, the force said on Thursday that it was “anticipating that there will be more complaints” about Operation Hillman, which would be collated “in order that a more comprehensive reply can be formulated”.
It comes as acting Met commissioner Sir Stephen House was being grilled by City Hall’s Police and Crime Committee on Thursday over the Met’s handling of the partygate inquiry.
Ms Cooper said: “I hope that the Met will finally set out why they chose not to fine the Prime Minister for his attendance at illegal Downing Street parties where other attendees were fined, and address broader concerns that most fines were issued to younger and more junior staff despite more senior staff being involved.
“The public deserves to know and public trust in the Met depends on it.”
Police investigated 12 of the 16 events outlined in senior civil servant Ms Gray’s report and handed 126 fines to 83 people. The majority were handed to female junior members of staff.
Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were given £50 penalties for attending the Prime Minister’s birthday party in June 2020.
It was the only one of the eight events Mr Johnson attended that he received a fine for.
