Covid: Met Police 'don't want to stop Christmas meals'

Dame Cressida Dick said officers do not have any power of entry to people's homes

The Met Police has "no interest in interrupting family Christmas dinners" to catch Covid-19 rule breakers, Dame Cressida Dick has said.

She added that the Met will work with whatever the government's restrictions will be at the time.

But the Met Commissioner told LBC's radio phone-in with Nick Ferrari that officers "have no powers of entry".

It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there would need to be some rules in place at Christmas.

Reports suggest households might be allowed to mix indoors for a five-day period from Christmas Eve, and that ministers are considering plans to allow three or four households to form bubbles.

Dame Cressida said: "We don't know of course what the rules will be at Christmas.

"Let's see what the rules are, but I have no interest in interrupting family Christmas dinners."

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Dame Cressida also defended the Met's policing of the second national lockdown in England following criticism when about 30 officers were pictured after being sent to a north London gym.

Andreas Michli was issued with £77,000 of fines by Haringey Council after he refused to shut his Zone Gym in Wood Green.

The 34-year-old was finally forced to shut the gym last week after police blocked customers from entering the premises and the council obtained a closure order after a hearing at Highbury Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Andreas Michli previously said he "could not find a reason" why he should not keep his gym open

Dame Cressida described the incident as a "truly extraordinary case" and said the image of 30 officers had been taken during a "change-over" between two groups.

"I have spoken to the commander in charge there and the person in charge on the day," she said.

"We wish we didn't have to do these things, of course.

"People need to comply with the law. I think we handled it well."