🧵 We are expecting to issue proceedings against the Met in relation to its refusal to investigate the parties at Number 10 whilst the country was in lock down. More details here glplive.org/tory-xmas-tw-1… 🧵
There is no denial that a number of 'gatherings' took place and no attempt has been made to justify them by reference to the narrow exceptions that the law permits.
The Met gives two reasons for refusing to investigate. It says (1) there is an absence of evidence and (2) it has a policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of the lockdown regulations.
As to the supposed absence of evidence, as we explain in our letter, linked to above, we think, if further evidence is required to substantiate the allegation, it is precisely the Met’s job to obtain it.
It seems to think it is a prosecutor - but it's an investigator.
It seems to think it is a prosecutor - but it's an investigator.
As to the supposed policy, we are baffled for a number of reasons.
First, as so many have noted, all breaches are retrospective. This is not Minority Report. We don’t live in a world of thought crime.
First, as so many have noted, all breaches are retrospective. This is not Minority Report. We don’t live in a world of thought crime.
Second, Parliament legislated to make it possible to prosecute breaches of the lockdown regulations for a period of up to three years after the date on which the offence is committed. It's not for the police to ignore Parliament’s will.
Third, although we don't say the policy doesn't actually exist - we (actually) have no evidence of that - we do not that it is quite odd for these things to exist and not be published. So we have asked the Met for a copy.
We also think there is a very significant public interest in identifying whether there was a breach of the rules, particularly taking into account the alleged repeated deliberate breaches of the law by senior officials. Even if there is a policy it should be set aside.
And we think the Met has to take account of the damage done to compliance with public health measures by the fact that the government, which continues to make exceptional emergency provisions that impact on everyone, has not itself complied with those provisions.
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