Right on cue, Jolyon and his learned friends are embarking on another judicial review crusade, this time against the Met. He may have previously promised the Good Law Project (GLP) would stop doing this so much, owing to “eye-watering costs” and the number of judges telling him to stop wasting their time, though he’s clearly changed his mind. Old habits die hard.
Teaming up with Adam Wagner and former Met chief-turned-LibDem Brian Paddick, the GLP announced today they were initiating preliminary legal proceedings against the Met over their “failure” to adequately investigate Boris over Partygate. In other words, to not help them achieve their desired political outcome…
“We invite the Met to confirm it will rectify its failures to investigate the Prime Minister’s participation in the Three Gatherings, or provide us with its reasons so we can assess the lawfulness of its refusal. Unless it does, and we have given it 14 days to comply, we will begin further judicial review proceedings.”
Self-professed Covid law expert Adam Wagner proving he’s not at all bitter about the PM receiving only one fine…
Jolyon is also still pretending he’s responsible for the Met’s investigation in the first place, even though the Met have made it perfectly clear he had nothing to do with it:
“For the avoidance of doubt the recent decision was not caused in any way by the instant judicial review claim
“Second, and significantly, the decision of 8 December 2021 was never a final decision. The Defendant made clear to the claimant… that if new information came to light, in particular as a result of the investigations being carried out on behalf of the Cabinet Office by Sue Gray, then the Defendant would decide afresh whether to open an investigation into the alleged gatherings… That is precisely what happened in this case…
This claim was always premature. Despite that fact being made clear the Claimant still chose to issue this claim.
Surely this time he’ll finally knock out a win. £4.4 million down, 81% of cases lost… things can only get better.
