Boris Johnson referred to police over potential Covid rule breaches

Boris Johnson has been referred to police by the Cabinet Office over further potential rule breaches during the Covid pandemic.

The department said it made the referral after a review of documents ahead of the Covid public inquiry.

The former prime minister, who was fined last year for breaking Covid rules in 2020, denies any wrongdoing.

The Metropolitan Police said it was assessing information it had received from the Cabinet Office last week.

"It relates to potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street," the force added.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: "Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson's official diary were queried by Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry.

The spokesman added that Mr Johnson's lawyers had written to the department, as well as the Commons Privileges Committee, "explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations."

The seven-member committee of MPs has been investigating whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking events in government buildings.

In a statement, the committee said it had received additional evidence from the government last week and asked Mr Johnson for a response, both of which it would now take into account during its probe.

The Cabinet Office said the material it had passed to police came from the "normal" process of reviewing documents to be submitted to the public inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic.

The public inquiry, which is separate to the privileges committee probe, will begin hearings next month.

The Cabinet Office said officials had been obliged to disclose the documents to the police under civil service rules.