Lockdown-breaking party probe extended with ‘second No 10 event’ to be examined

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has chosen to widen the remit of his parties investigation (Aaron Chown/PA)

The probe into alleged Covid rule-busting parties in Government has been widened to include another festive celebration and a reported staff leaving do.

British Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis has told MPs that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case will, as well as investigating reports of a staff Christmas bash at Downing Street on December 18 2020, also look into two other alleged events.

He will include in his review a confirmed gathering at the Department for Education’s Whitehall headquarters on December 10 last year, and a reported leaving event for a No 10 aide on November 27.

The two December dates coincide with when mixing between households in London was restricted, with England in a month-long lockdown during November.

Both the British Prime Minister and Health Secretary had suggested Mr Case could choose to extend his investigation – a move he has decided to make – beyond the main allegation that a Christmas party took place in Downing Street only 24 hours before the Government announced Christmas was cancelled,

The finding means that some claims, including that there was a party in Mr and Mrs Johnson’s No 11 flat on November 13 – the night the Prime Minister’s former chief aide Dominic Cummings departed – is not currently included in the scope of the review.

Answering an urgent question in the Commons, Mr Ellis said: “The primary purpose of the Cabinet Secretary’s investigation will be to establish swiftly a general understanding of the nature of the gatherings, including attendance, the setting and the purpose, and with reference to adherence to the guidance in place at the time.

“If required, the investigation will establish whether individual disciplinary action is warranted.”