To think the Met will do nothing about the Downing St parties and now seem corrupt

[Poetrypatty]

AIBU to think they won't do anything? Surely there were even police officers stationed in Downing St when it actually happened.

I feel sorry for all the decent hardworking Met police officers because the bad ones, and all of these scandals and the failure to be seeming to hold up the law (by those at the top) is really damaging faith in the police.

Yep. Party in Downing Street - fine. Vigil for woman savagely murdered by a serving Met Police officer - not fine.

I’m not sure why you presume the PC on the gate gets to decide who is granted access? They have no say in it

If any police officer was aware of the party they should have reported it and it should have been treated the same as everyone else was.

@Snoopysimaginaryfriend a sensible comment in a sea of nonsense!

There's only one thing I'm interested in, and that's catching bent coppers

@Rewis

There's only one thing I'm interested in, and that's catching bent coppers

@Chasingaftermidnight

Yep. Party in Downing Street - fine. Vigil for woman savagely murdered by a serving Met Police officer - not fine.

This. I have no trust in the Government or the Met. The damage is irreversible.

@Poetrypatty

I’m not sure why you presume the PC on the gate gets to decide who is granted access? They have no say in it

If any police officer was aware of the party they should have reported it and it should have been treated the same as everyone else was.

Who do you think they should have reported it to? And what do you think would have happened if they had?

@Rewis

There's only one thing I'm interested in, and that's catching bent coppers

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I'm not sure you realise how many people work in the offices in Downing Street and the hours they keep. It is hundreds and they come and go as they please.

To be clear, I am absolutely against what happened but it is not the fault of the officers on the gate and I don't think that comparison is fair.

I think the incident should be investigated and those at fault - the staff sending these emails and attending the events, should be punished in line with the law but I'm bowing out of the discussion now

Bizarrely I do know someone who used to work in the diplomatic section so I know they don’t “sign them in”. But there’s a visitor list / passes there’s security over viewing their bags. Sign them in was my expression of that entire operation. And I have had this conversation with them about the parties.

Whilst I in no way blame the police. I do find it unsettling they were literally on the doorstep, there’s been an absolute refusal to investigate.

I know the met took a lighter view compared with other forces and I do not envy the police at all during that time.
One day they were berated in the papers for breaking up a childs party. The next berated because they didn’t.

I'm curious as to whether they came out and clapped for NHS workers before the party or after?

Most people stuck by the rules not only to protect themselves but to protect healthcare workers and the vulnerable.

35000 people had died of Covid (in the UK) when this XXXX had his party

The whole lot of them are corrupt. The conservatives need to go, Johnson shambled through the lockdowns but his lack of leadership is dazzling. Early general election would be good.

And yes, I am appalled that so many people couldn't see their loved ones and say goodbye but Boris and pals socialised drinking wine.

Have other countries had such blatant breaches of the rules or just the UK?

@Alexandra2001

Have other countries had such blatant breaches of the rules or just the UK?

Well the really corrupt ones certainly.

I’m not sure why you presume the PC on the gate gets to decide who is granted access? They have no say in it.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 was in force.

Police, plural noun; the body of men and women employed by the government of a country to keep order, enforce the law, prevent crime, etc.

Nobody's above the law, including members of the Government although this shower certainly think they are.

Who do you think they should have reported it to? And what do you think would have happened if they had?

It should have been reported up through the ranks to the well-named Cressida Dick. I can see why people would think that would be a pointless exercise.

As far as anyone knows, those who attended the party were30 of the 200 or so civil servants who work at No.10 (it is a huge building formed from two town houses and a mansion). It is likely that the civil servant who organised the party (Martin Reynolds) will be disciplined - probably sacked (it is rumoured that he was in the power struggle which saw Dominic Gummings leaving Downing Street and that the leak of the invitation is part of Cummings' revenge). I would be very surprised if anyone who attended the party will be disciplined, other than Martin Reynolds.

The met police are and have been for a very long time utterly rotten to the core.

I'm sure I read/heard somewhere that No.10 and Parliament were exempt from.the covid rules at due to the need to continue state business. Not an excuse but perhaps a reason why no-one seems to give two shits in authority

@Florianus

As far as anyone knows, those who attended the party were30 of the 200 or so civil servants who work at No.10 (it is a huge building formed from two town houses and a mansion). It is likely that the civil servant who organised the party (Martin Reynolds) will be disciplined - probably sacked (it is rumoured that he was in the power struggle which saw Dominic Gummings leaving Downing Street and that the leak of the invitation is part of Cummings' revenge). I would be very surprised if anyone who attended the party will be disciplined, other than Martin Reynolds.

This.

Of course they won't. It's pathetic to get in a froth about some No.10 staff who worked together, also having a party together a year ago.

@Chasingaftermidnight

Yep. Party in Downing Street - fine. Vigil for woman savagely murdered by a serving Met Police officer - not fine.

It is really astonishing isn't it. I don't care (much) about the parties, but I care very much about this point.

@Crankley

Of course they won't. It's pathetic to get in a froth about some No.10 staff who worked together, also having a party together a year ago.

I have to say compared with the other stuff this government has done, it's really low level!

The police on duty at Downing Street are part of the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command, so not a shining example of exemplary policing, but definitely aware that lockdown breaches were against the law.

Wes Streeting (Labour's Shadow Health Secretary) says the Downing Street party on 20th May should have been treated the same as the party on the very same day in Sandwell Street, Handsworth where around 100 attended a street party. West Midlands police broke up the party and told attendees to go home. There were no arrests and no fines issued.

Do people really want Met Police to take officers away from investigating rapes, stabbings, assaults etc. to investigate a party for which the likely conclusion would be no arrest, no fine.