Met Police will NOT investigate Downing Street Christmas party due to 'lack of evidence'

The Metropolitan Police has said it will not investigate allegations of a party at Downing Street when lockdown rules banned social gatherings.

The force claims this is due to an “absence of evidence” and its policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of coronavirus regulations.

According to The Mirror, revealed the bash on December 18 last year when London was in Tier 3 lockdown rules.

No 10 tried to insinuate it didn’t happen - by claiming whatever took place wasn’t a party.

But last night a clip was leaked to ITV News of a private ‘mock’ press conference four days after the bash, which involved a Secret Santa, wine, a quiz, and “40 or 50” people.

Police said the video "does not provide evidence of a breach" of health regulations and therefore the force would not commence an investigation.

In a statement, the force said: "The Metropolitan Police Service has received a significant amount of correspondence relating to allegations reported in the media that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations were breached at gatherings at No 10 Downing Street in November and December 2020.

"All this correspondence has been considered by detectives in detail, as well as footage published by ITV News. The correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach of the Health Protection Regulations but restate allegations made in the media.

"Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such Regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time.

"The Met has had discussions with the Cabinet Office concerning the investigation by the Cabinet Secretary. If any evidence is found as a result of that investigation, it will be passed to the Met for further consideration."

The news comes as Boris Johnson today finally "apologized unreservedly" over the party but denied all responsibility.

He insisted he was told rules were followed and said he was "sickened and furious" at the clip.

War-gaming questions if the event leaked, then-Press Secretary Allegra Stratton shrugged “what’s the answer?” before joking the “fictional” event was “was not socially distanced”.

Yesterday Metropolitan Police said they 'were aware of the footage and said it is not their policy not to routinely investigate retrospective Covid breaches but the footage would 'form part of their considerations."

Ms. Stratton today quit her £125,000-a-year role in a tearful statement outside her house.

The former Press Secretary - who later worked as COP26 spokeswoman - said she had "become a distraction in that fight" against the Covid pandemic.

Ms. Stratton added: "My remarks seemed to make light of the rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey.

"That was never my intention.

"I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days and I offer my profound apologies to all of you at home for them."

She sidestepped saying whether there actually was a party or whether she was at it.