Cabinet Office refers Boris Johnson to police over possible new lockdown breaches

Boris Johnson has been referred to police amid fresh claims of lockdown breaches by the ex-prime minister, it emerged tonight.

The Cabinet Office has passed on documents to the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police after information came to light during the preparation of evidence for the official Covid inquiry.

It is reported the information refers to visits by friends to Chequers during the pandemic, as well as activities at Downing Street, when restrictions were in place.

The alleged breaches involved Mr Johnson’s family as well as his friends and were revealed in his ministerial diary, according to The Times.

But the ex-PM’s team tonight hit out at a ‘clearly politically motivated attempt to manufacture something out of nothing’.

Mr Johnson, who has not been contacted by police, is said to have been told by lawyers that all of the events were lawful and in no way broke Covid rules.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: ‘Information came to light during the process of preparing evidence for submission to the Covid inquiry.

‘It was identified as part of the normal disclosure review of potentially relevant documents being undertaken by the legal team for inquiry witnesses.

‘In line with obligations in the civil service code, this material has been passed to the relevant authorities and it is now a matter for them.’

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: ‘Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary were queried by Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry. 

‘Following an examination of the entries, Mr Johnson’s lawyers wrote to the Cabinet Office and Privileges Committee explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations.’