A POLICE investigation was launched today into lockdown-busting parties held at Downing Street and Whitehall in “a truly damning reflection of our nation’s very highest office.”

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the force was looking into “potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations” since 2020.

She said its investigation was launched after civil servant Sue Gray, who is conducting an inquiry into the parties, passed information to the force.

The announcement comes after Downing Street admitted that PM Boris Johnson had attended a birthday celebration on June 19 2020 in the No10 Cabinet room organised as a surprise by his then fiancee Carrie Symonds.

Up to 30 people reportedly attended the gathering, including interior designer Lulu Lytle, who was in Downing Street working on the refurbishment of the Prime Minister’s flat.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner raised the new allegations in an urgent question in the Commons to Paymaster General Michael Ellis.

She said that it seemed that “potential criminality has been found in Downing Street” and this was “a truly damning reflection” on the office of the Prime Minister.

Ms Rayner questioned how Mr Johnson can remain PM with Downing Street under police investigation.

“Boris Johnson is a national distraction,” she said. “Conservative MPs should stop propping him up and he should finally do the decent thing and resign.”

Ms Rayner insisted that the whole of the Gray report should be published with all accompanying evidence.

Mr Ellis said the house should await the findings of the Gray investigation, but stopped short of agreeing that the whole report would be published.

Downing Street has said that discussions are ongoing about “what is suitable to publish.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said that Mr Johnson had “stuck two fingers up” to the public and repeated his calls for the PM to resign, calling for Tory MPs to remove him if he failed to leave of his own volition.

Dame Cressida has been under intense political and public pressure to explain how the Whitehall gatherings were able to take place at a site with such a heavy police presence.

She said officers on duty were there to provide “protective security” but refused to be drawn at the London Assembly meeting on “anything they may have seen or heard.”

Welcoming the Met investigation, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The public rightly expect the police to uphold the law without fear or favour, no matter who that involves.

“Members of the public must be able to expect the highest standards from everyone, including the Prime Minister and those around him.”

The PM’s spokesperson said today that Mr Johnson did not believe that he had done anything wrong and suggested he was willing to co-operate with police investigating.

Mr Johnson said: “I welcome the Met’s decision to conduct its own investigation because I believe this will help to give the public the clarity it needs and help to draw a line under matters.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC Today programme this morning that the latest gathering had “been unwise, given the circumstances.”

And the new revelations prompted Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross to repeat his call for Mr Johnson to resign. He said the “the whole thing is very damaging” and that Mr Johnson should go.

Ms Gray is expected to publish her report later this week.