The Metropolitan police are to contact two people who attended a pre-Christmas party at the Conservative party headquarters in London during lockdown last year in relation to alleged breaches of coronavirus regulations. The force said it was aware of a gathering at an address in Matthew Parker Street in London, where the Conservative party headquarters is based, on 14 December 2020. The party was organised by Shaun Bailey’s London mayoral campaign team. On Wednesday, Bailey stepped down from an official role in the London assembly after a photograph emerged of him joining a throng of people at the party amid the Covid lockdown. Bailey has apologised unreservedly for the event. The Met did not say who it was seeking to contact. In a statement, the force said: “Officers will be making contact with two people who attended in relation to alleged breaches of the health protection (coronavirus restrictions) regulations.” The Met also said it was looking into staff gatherings at 10 Downing Street and the Department for Education in November and December 2020 and was in contact with the Cabinet Office, but would not open an investigation at this time. The statement said: “If any evidence emerges of behaviour that is potentially a criminal offence it will be passed to the Met for further consideration. “The Met has received a significant amount of material in relation to the allegations reported in the media. All the material has been considered by detectives in detail and it does not provide evidence of a breach of the health protection regulations, but restates allegations made in the media. “In line with our policy where we do not normally investigate breaches of these regulations when they are reported long after they are said to have taken place, unless there is evidence from the Cabinet Office or other evidence comes to light, the Met will not at this time commence an investigation.” It added: “In line with the Met’s policy, officers do not normally investigate breaches of coronavirus regulations when they are reported long after they are said to have taken place. However, if significant evidence suggesting a breach of the regulations becomes available, officers may review and consider it.” Meanwhile, the Department for Transport (DfT) has apologised after it emerged staff had a party the day London was plunged into Tier 3 restrictions in December 2020. The Daily Mirror reported senior civil servants were “boozing and dancing” at the event on 16 December. Officials insisted it was a “low-key” gathering where social distancing was observed, and the the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, was not involved. A DfT spokesman said: “The secretary of state wasn’t involved in any gathering at the department. Fewer than a dozen staff who were working in the office had a low-key, socially distanced, gathering in the large open-plan office after work on 16 December, where food and drink was consumed. We recognise this was inappropriate and apologise for the error of judgment.”