JED Mercurio has shared a video that appears to show the cast of Line of Duty interrogating Boris Johnson over Downing Street parties during the Covid pandemic.
The video, released by campaign group Led By Donkeys shows voices sounding eerily similar to Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar pressing the Prime Minister on alleged rule-breaking.
Commencing the interview, marked "operation BYOB", the video shows a tense Boris Johnson, who has been superimposed into the Line of Duty's famous interview room.
A voice that sounds like Martin Compston points out an email sent by Boris Johnson's Principle Private Secretary Martin Reynolds where he invited more than 100 Downing Street staff to a party on May 20, 2020.
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Johnson replies, laughing: "All that is subject for investigation by Sue Gray," to which an apparent Superindent Ted Hastings (Dunbar) replies: "We've investigated it, and the facts are plain for everyone to see."
— Jed Mercurio (@jed_mercurio) January 18, 2022
DCI Steve Arnott notes that during May 20, 2020 the entire country was in lockdown, while DI Kate Flemmings (McClure) appears to point out that then culture secretary Oliver Dowden earlier in the same day made a statement reminding the public of coronavirus regulations.
DCI Arnott continues: "People were only permitted to meet with one person outside their household in an outdoor, public place provided they stay two metres apart."
Superintendent Hastings adds: "Sir, a gathering like the one described in LBD1 would have been a breach of the health protection regulations in operation at the time, as well you know."
A superimposed Johnson, shaking his head, then replies: "All the evidence I can see is that people have stayed within the rules."
The PM says if that turns out not to be the case then "of course there will be proper sanction".
Boris Johnson is accused of having multiple parties in his line of duty as Prime Minister
Hastings assures Johnson people have told the police as he asks the Prime Minister: "Sir, did you breach said health protection regulations?"
Johnson again points to Gray's yet-to-be-released inquiry.
The AC12 team then grills Johnson for allegedly breaking his own lockdown rules while people couldn't visit sick relatives or attend funerals.
"But not you, oh no, you partied," Hastings says. "It wasn't just a case of one rule for us and another for them it was ore like no rules for us," he adds.
Arnott chimes in: "The only thing you were sorry about is that you got caught".
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Johnson defends himself, saying it was a work gathering as Compston's character appears to say "the party is over".
Hastings finishes: "Your corruption was mistaken for incompetence.
"If you have got once shred of compassion for all those families who sacrificed so much, who lost so much, you'll go - and let them have done with you."
The video has already been viewed nearly half a million times on Twitter after being posted for just a few hours.
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