LONDON: Britain's Boris Johnson has been referred to police over further potential breaches of lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic, a charge the former prime minister's office portrayed as "yet another politically motivated stitch up".
The Cabinet Office, which is responsible for overseeing the operation of government, said it had made a referral to police based on information discovered while preparing submissions for a public inquiry into the pandemic.
The Times newspaper, which first reported the news on Tuesday, said ministerial diaries showed visits during the pandemic by friends to Chequers, a rural country mansion used as a residence by sitting prime ministers.
The Cabinet Office confirmed it had passed information to the police "in line with obligations in the civil service code".
London's Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police, the force that covers the area around Chequers, both said they were assessing that information, which related to potential breaches of health protection regulation between June 2020 and May 2021.
Johnson, whose premiership was cut short in part by anger in his own party and across Britain over COVID rule-breaking lockdown parties in his Downing Street office and residence, was defiant, saying the assertion was unfounded.
"The assertion by the Cabinet Office that there have been further COVID rule breaches is totally untrue. Lawyers have examined the events in question and advised that they were lawful," his office said in a statement.
"Many will conclude that this has all the hallmarks of yet another politically motivated stitch up."
Earlier, Johnson's spokesperson said some "abbreviated entries" in the former prime minister's official diary were queried by the Cabinet Office in preparation for Britain's COVID inquiry but had been dealt with by his lawyers.
It is a further blow to Johnson, who is keen to forge a profile as one of Ukraine's most ardent supporters in its fight against Russia's invasion and still is seen by some in the governing Conservative Party as a vote winner who might return to Britain's top office.
'UNDERMINING JOHNSON'
He remains one of British politics' most recognisable figures and also one of its most divisive.
The voice of Brexit who secured a landslide election victory in 2019, Johnson was forced from office by his own party in 2022 after a catalogue of scandals and missteps.
He was fined by police for attending an event to celebrate his birthday in Downing Street in June 2020, making him the first prime minister found to have broken the law in office.
But he also retains support among some Conservatives who feel he is still their best hope of retaining power - a factor fuelling divisions in the party before an election expected to take place next year.
Johnson remains under investigation by a parliamentary committee over whether he intentionally or recklessly misled the House of Commons over so-called 'partygate'.
The former prime minister told the Privileges Committee there was no evidence that he intentionally misled lawmakers.
His office suggested the move by the Cabinet Office was "a last ditch attempt ... to lengthen the Privileges Committee investigation as it was coming to a conclusion and to undermine Mr Johnson" and that the meetings at Chequers were either within the rules being held outdoors or covered by exemptions.
"Mr Johnson's lawyers have tonight written to the police forces involved to explain in detail why the Cabinet Office is entirely wrong in its assertions."
Reuters
Wed May 24 2023
UK government passes information to police on Boris Johnson. - REUTERS/Filepic
AWANI Ringkas: BERSATU serah tujuh notis kosongkan kerusi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
[KOLUMNIS] PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pertandingan untuk tawan atau tahan
PRK DUN KKB menyaksikan pertembungan empat penjuru antara calon PH, PN, PRK, PRM dan calon Bebas.
Sultan Selangor ingatkan jemaah haji persiapkan diri sebaiknya
Sultan Selangor menasihatkan bakal jemaah haji untuk mempersiapkan diri sebaik-baiknya, bagi melaksanakan Rukun Islam kelima.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PN harap tiada lagi serangan peribadi
Khairul Azhari Saut berharap tiada lagi isu peribadi yang akan dijadikan 'peluru' untuk menyerangnya sepanjang kempen.
Kelantan: 70 peratus kemalangan maut babit penunggang, pembonceng motosikal
70 peratus kes kemalangan maut yang dicatat berlaku dari 1 hingga 26 April di Kelantan, membabitkan penunggang dan pembonceng motosikal.
[TERKINI] WEF | Pembangunan dunia yang tidak seimbang, Apa Solusi?
Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Arab Saudi merungkai masalah ekonomi dan ketidakseimbangan pembangunan yang sedang melanda dunia. Menteri MITI, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz dan Menteri Kewangan Arab Saudi, Mohammed Al-Jadaan berada sepentas merungkai masalah dunia yang memberi impak kepada semua negara.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PH, PN bertembung ketika kempen
Dua calon yang bersaing bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu hari ini bertembung buat kali pertama sejak hari penamaan calon semalam.
AWANI Ringkas: 1MDB - Polis Jerman rampas 4 kereta Bugatti Veyron edisi terhad
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Gempa bumi Indonesia, Tasikmalaya paling terjejas
Sekurang-kurangnya empat orang cedera dan 27 keluarga lagi terkesan selepas satu gempa bumi dengan magnitud 6.2 melanda Daerah Garut di Jawa Barat pada pukul 11.29 pagi waktu tempatan, Ahad.
Air penstabil dan pemangkin pembangunan negara - Fadillah Yusof
Air merupakan komponen penting yang bertindak sebagai penstabil dan pemangkin untuk pembangunan negara yang mampan.
Tak sedar aksi dirakam, penyampai BBC mohon maaf kepada penonton
Seorang penyampai berita saluran BBC memohon maaf atas selepas tidak sengaja menunjukkan jari tengah ketika mula bersiaran di televisyen.
Parlimen Britain sahkan laporan Boris Johnson berbohong
Ini sekaligus memberikan satu lagi tamparan kepada kerjaya politik bekas Perdana Menteri itu.
Boris Johnson didapati bersalah kerana 'penghinaan berulang' terhadap Parlimen
Siasatan mendapati bekas perdana menteri Britain Boris Johnson "berulang kali menghina" Parlimen berikutan penafiannya mengenai skandal "partygate".
Boris Johnson letak jawatan sebagai ahli parlimen
Bekas Perdana Menteri itu akui sedih apabila mengambil keputusan letak jawatan.
Kerajaan Britain diberi lebih masa serah mesej WhatsApp Boris Johnson
Hakim memberi tempoh sehingga Khamis, menyerahkan mesej dari aplikasi WhatsApp dan diari Johnson sebagai sebahagian daripada siasatannya.
Pengerusi BBC letak jawatan selepas laporan beliau terlibat dalam pinjaman untuk Boris Johnson
Pengerusi BBC Britain meletak jawatan pada Jumaat berikutan laporan yang mendapati beliau melanggar kod kerajaan.
'Tiada bukti saya mengelirukan Parlimen' - Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson menafikan beliau sengaja mengelirukan Dewan Rakyat dalam skandal parti di pejabat Downing Street.
Boris Johnson dipilih bertanding di Uxbridge, bagi pilihan raya umum akan datang
Pilihan raya umum akan datang di United Kingdom dijangka berlangsung selewat-lewatnya pada Januari 2025.
PM UK: Boris Johnson tarik diri, Rishi Sunak calon kegemaran
Percubaan kali pertama Sunak ialah pada musim panas lalu berikutan peletakan jawatan Johnson, tetapi kalah kepada Liz Truss, yang meletak jawatan Khamis lalu.
Boris Johnson tidak akan sertai perlumbaan jadi PM
Beliau memutuskan bahawa ia adalah satu keputusan yang tidak wajar untuk berbuat demikian pada masa ini.