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LONDON - The British government confirmed on Thursday that the investigation into the suspected violation of the blockade Christmas party held in the office of Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson about a year ago will also investigate two previous gatherings attended by government officials.

In a statement to lawmakers, Minister of the Cabinet Office, Michael Ellis, set out the terms of reference for the investigation ordered by Johnson on Wednesday, after the previous week that officials were accused of ignoring the coronavirus regulations they imposed on others. .

The main allegation is related to an event held at the Prime Minister's Office at No. 10 Downing Street on December 18, 2020. Officials are said to have enjoyed wine, food, games, and holiday gift exchanges when most social gatherings were prohibited by pandemic regulations.

A leaked video showed senior staff joking about the so-called political party, prompting one of Johnson’s advisers to resign on Wednesday and to put pressure on the prime minister, who has insisted for several days that no regulations were violated.

Ellis said that the investigation, led by Simon Case, the UK’s top civil servant, will also investigate a gathering allegedly held in Downing Street on November 27, 2020, and at the Ministry of Education on December 10. Another party held.

Ellis said: "The main purpose of the Cabinet Secretary's investigation is to quickly understand the nature of the rally, including the number of attendees, location and purpose, and to refer to the guidelines at the time."

He added: “If necessary, the investigation will determine whether disciplinary action is required against the individual.”

Ellis said the results of the investigation may be submitted to the police.

There are concerns that the apparent contempt of the government’s core rules will undermine public compliance with the restrictions that will come into effect in the coming days to curb the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

On Wednesday, Johnson urged English people to work from home again as much as possible and wear masks in more indoor environments. He also supports the introduction of vaccine passes in crowded venues such as nightclubs and large gatherings including major sporting events.

The Christmas party statement is the latest in a series of allegations of violations of rules and ethics by Johnson and government officials. On Thursday, the British election watchdog imposed a fine of £17,800 (US$23,500) on the Conservative Party for failing to properly keep records of the funds of donors used to renovate Johnson’s mansion.

Johnson denied knowing the source of funding for the Downing Street renovation project, which cost more than £100,000 (US$132,000), and another investigation cleared him of serious misconduct. But the Election Commission found that WhatsApp messages suggested that Johnson knew that the money came from a wealthy Conservative Party donor.

The committee stated that the party described the money in different ways as donations, loan repayments and "gifts to the country."

"Our investigation of the Conservative Party found that the laws regarding donation reporting and recording were not being complied with," said Louis Edwards, the supervisory director of the Election Commission.

Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said Johnson must answer questions about whether he misled a separate investigation into donations.

"Boris Johnson treats the British public as fools," she said. "He not only violated the law, but he also mocked our expectations of the Prime Minister."

Jill Lawless contributed to this report

On December 9, 2021, a woman wears a face mask as she crosses Westminster Bridge in London. (Frank Augstein/Associated Press)

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