Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to acting Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Stephen House to seek a “detailed explanation” of the force’s decisions over individual cases in the Downing Street Partygate investigation.
A spokeswoman for Mr Khan said the letter was written "because he is concerned that the trust and confidence of Londoners in the police is being further eroded" by a lack of clarity over the probe.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan
Jonathan Brady
Images released yesterday showing Boris Johnson raising a glass during the second lockdown
ITV
The spokeswoman said: “Sadiq has today written to the acting commissioner of the Met to seek a detailed explanation of the factors which were taken into account by investigating officers when decisions were made about whether to take action in individual cases in the Downing Street Partygate investigation.
“He has asked them to take steps to also reassure Londoners by making this explanation to them directly, because he is concerned that the trust and confidence of Londoners in the police is being further eroded by this lack of clarity.
“The mayor has been clear he cannot and would not intervene in operational decisions, however with the investigation now complete, he has made this request in accordance with the Policing Protocol Order 2011 paragraph 23(g).”
The move comes after Downing Street confirmed late last week that the Prime Minister Boris Johnson would receive no further fines over lockdown breaches.
Scotland Yard said last Thursday it had issued fixed-penalty notices (FPNs) for events in Downing Street and across Whitehall spanning eight separate days, with 28 people receiving between two and five fines.
Mr Johnson received one fine for the event on his 56th birthday.
But since then, leaked images have emerged which show Mr Johnson raising a glass at a leaving party in Downing Street during the second lockdown.
Hours before the pictures were released by ITV News, the PM's former advisor, Dominic Cummings said photographs showing Mr Johnson lied to the Commons and to the police will be leaked in the next two days.