As Guido reported a few weeks ago, investigations undertaken by the Standards Commissioner into lockdown partygoers Virginia Crosbie, Eleanor Laing, Bernard Jenkin and Miriam Cates have found that the allegations are not upheld. The report has been released today, just before recess tomorrow…
Despite finding that the WhatsApp “invitation to the event was accurately quoted by the media“, the Commissioner concluded that this was an socially distanced event with “both business and social elements“, and thus the four have been let off. The report also found that there was “wine (probably not exceeding two bottles) and ‘nibbles’ were available at the event”. A reminder: the invitation from Anne Jenkin began with “Virginia and I are have joint birthday party drinks” and signed off as “X anne“. Co-conspirators can decide whether that sounds professional…
Read the full report below:
In a WhatsApp’d invitation from Anne Jenkin a party during lockdown was described as “joint birthday drinks“. It was both Virginia Crosbie’s 54th and Anne Jenkin’s 65th birthdays on December 8, 2020. Why let a little thing like lockdown get in the way of having a party?
Today Guido learnt that the Standards Commissioner will report he has “insufficient evidence” that the event was a lockdown rule breaching party. In this Guido Talks podcast we cast our minds back to what we know about the birthday bash and tell the story behind the story. Co-conspirators can decide for themselves whether they think they broke the rules…
Guido has heard that the investigations undertaken by the Standards Commissioner into lockdown party-goers Virginia Crosbie, Eleanor Laing, Bernard Jenkin and Miriam Cates have been closed. The reports are expected to be publicly released in around two weeks time. Timed for just before recess…
The suspicion is that all four of the rule-breaking MPs will get off, and wanting to avoid an inevitable wave of outrage that will inevitably ensue, parliamentary authorities are waiting to release the report until everyone is off on their Easter holiday and it’s swept under the rug. Staff of the party-going MPs have been rather jubilant recently, presumably gleeful that it looks like their bosses have managed to get away with it…
The four were being investigated following Guido’s revelation that they attended a lockdown-breaking birthday bash on December 8th 2020. There were WhatsApp invites to the “joint birthday party” for Bernard Jenkin’s wife Anne and Virgina Crosbie. There was birthday cake. There was booze. This was clearly a party and not a work event, and it is an appalling case of “one rule for them and another rule for us” if they have been cleared…
It’s the third anniversary of the lockdown birthday bash in the Commons – a party Guido revealed this summer, hosted by Commons Deputy Speaker Eleanor Laing for her dear friend Anne Jenkin. Bernard Jenkin, of Liaison and Privileges Committee fame, attended the celebration. As if it were fate, on the same day three years later, it’s confirmed that Jenkin is under investigation by Parliament’s Standards Commissioner. He won’t be celebrating now…
The Met closed its investigation today, informing the partygoers that there will be no further action – something that many will consider unfairly lenient. Consequently, the Standards Commissioner can now commence its own inquiry. Last year, Jenkin voted to expel Boris Johnson from Parliament over his partygate scandal, asserting to the Privilege Committee, “the rules were clear—they were there for everyone, and no one is above the law.” Following our scoop, Boris sent Guido a statement, urging Jenkin to resign over the matter. He’ll be waiting with bated breath for the Commissioner’s conclusion…
Read the Met’s statement in full below:
Guido understands the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into the Jenkins’ lockdown-breaking drinks party is proceeding with the Special Enquiry Team, who are contacting potential sources and witnesses this week. The Met launched their probe back in June, announcing they were “assessing information and new material” in light of alleged breaches in Parliament, including – as Guido first reported – the party held by Eleanor Laing to celebrate Anne Jenkin’s birthday in December 2020. Bernard Jenkin is still keeping schtum…
Guido hears detectives are now gathering new supplementary evidence, including WhatsApp transcripts. Ello, ello, ello…
Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Mark Rowley has just told the London Assembly his force will be poring through CCTV footage and photo evidence as part of their new probe into Bernard Jenkin’s lockdown drinks party in 2020. They’ll also be quizzing the partygoers. He pointed out just how many fines were issued last time…
“We’ve decided we are going to go forward with investigations, and so that will follow the same course as last time. We’ll collect all the evidence we can do, the CCTV, photos, et cetera. It will probably involve statements and questionnaires, and we’ll work our way through. And we’ll come to whatever the right judgements are in terms of tickets or prosecutions if necessary. As you’ll recall, the previous investigations… led to eighty-something people receiving tickets and fixed penalty notices.”
Ello, ello, ello…
