Britain PM prepared to cooperate with police party probe

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson signalled on Tuesday he is willing to speak to police investigating multiple allegations of parties breaching coronavirus regulations in Downing Street, the building that houses his office and residence.

However, he said he believes he has not broken the law, even as anger mounts across Britain at a drumbeat of reports about parties in government buildings at a time when Britons had been ordered to forgo social gatherings to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Downing Street acknowledged aspects a Cabinet Office inquiry that touch on potentially criminal acts will be paused after the Metropolitan Police announced that officers had launched an investigation.

The prime minister told lawmakers it is "right" for Scotland Yard to investigate and that he believes it will "help to draw a line under matters."

Johnson was plunged into deeper jeopardy when Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced officers were investigating a "number of events" in Downing Street and Whitehall, a government district in London, after being passed information from inquiry.

Updating the Commons on the inquiry, Johnson said: "That process has quite properly involved sharing information continuously with the Metropolitan Police, so I welcome the Met's decision to conduct its own investigation because I believe this will help to give the public the clarity it needs and help to draw a line under matters."

The prime minister's official spokesperson told reporters that"everyone required will fully cooperate in any way they are asked."

Pressed if Johnson is willing to be interviewed by officers, his spokesperson responded: "Anyone asked to will cooperate fully as you would expect."

Asked if the prime minister thinks he has not broken the law, the spokesperson said: "I need to be cautious about what I say, but I think that's fair to say that he does not." Downing Street said Johnson knew about the police investigation before convening his Cabinet on Tuesday, but that he did not raise it during the meeting.

Asked why the prime minister did not inform his top team, his spokesperson stressed that Johnson judged it important "not to pre-empt a police statement."

"I think it's understandable that, given the sensitive nature of what the Met were due to announce, it's right that wasn't pre-empted in any way," the spokesperson added. - dpa