Keir Starmer warns Boris Johnson 'lots of words, lots of bluster...that's not going to work with the police'

The Labour leader has criticised the Prime Minister in the Commons, saying he has "lots of words, lots of bluster. That's not going to work with the police".

The Prime Minister may have attended as many as six events that are being looked into by police, according to reports.

A “bring your own booze party” attended by Boris Johnson during the first Covid lockdown and a gathering to mark his birthday are among 12 parties being investigated.

Further details have since been reported, suggesting the Conservative Party leader was seen heading to a party in his No 11 residence the night his former senior aide Dominic Cummings departed, and that he briefly attended a leaving do for one of his former defence advisers.

In her report, senior Cabinet Office official Sue Gray said just four of the 16 events which she looked into are not subject to Metropolitan Police inquiries.

The parties being investigated by the Met are:

– May 20 2020: Bring Your Own Booze party:

A leaked email from the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds showed No 10 staff were invited to “bring your own booze” to an event in the Downing Street garden.

Mr Johnson has admitted he was there for 25 minutes, but said he thought it was a “work event” to thank staff for their efforts during the pandemic.

– June 18 2020: Cabinet Office leaving do:

Ms Gray’s interim report said a gathering in the 70 Whitehall building was held to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.

The event had not previously been disclosed but the Telegraph said the official in question is former home affairs policy adviser Hannah Young, who left Downing Street to take up the role of deputy consul general in New York.

The newspaper said it understood about 20 people attended, with alcohol consumed.

– June 19 2020: Boris Johnson’s 56th birthday:

Downing Street has admitted staff “gathered briefly” in the Cabinet Room in what was reportedly a surprise get-together for the Prime Minister organised by his now wife Carrie Symonds.

The PA news agency was told Lulu Lytle, the interior designer behind lavish renovations of the Downing Street flat, briefly attended while undertaking work there.

However, No 10 has denied a report that, later the same evening, family and friends were hosted upstairs to celebrate the occasion.

– November 13 2020: Downing Street flat do:

Ms Symonds reportedly hosted parties in the official flat over No 11 where she and Mr Johnson live, including one event on November 13, the night of Dominic Cummings’ acrimonious departure.

A spokesman for the PM’s wife called the claim “total nonsense”.

This is a breaking story - more information to follow.