Britain's most senior police officer today said that Boris Johnson did not break hate crime laws with his controversial burqa comments.

Critics of the ex Foreign Secretary have accused him of inflaming racial tensions by comparing the veiled women to letterboxes and bank robbers.

But Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said she had spoken to her officers and confirmed that the comments do not flout the law.

It comes as the Tory Party confirmed that it has launched a formal investigation into Mr Johnson in a move that could see him expelled from the party.

Speaking to the BBC today, the Met Police Commissioner said: 'I know that many people have found this offensive.

'I also know that many other people believe strongly that in the whole of the article, what Mr Johnson appears to have been attempting to do was to say that there shouldn't be a ban and that he was engaging in a legitimate debate.'

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick (pictured, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan last year) said she had spoken to her officers and confirmed that the comments do not flout the law

In an interview with the BBC Asian network, she added: 'Some people have clearly found it offensive.

'I spoke last night to my very experienced officers who deal with hate crime and, although we have not yet received any allegation of such a crime, I can tell you that my preliminary view having spoken to them is that what Mr Johnson said would not reach the bar for a criminal offence.

'He did not commit a criminal offence.'

Allies of Mr Johnson today blasted party bosses for launching the probe into Mr Johnson - saying it is a massive overreaction.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen accused Number Ten of orchestrating a politically motivated 'witch hunt' against the ex minister.

He told MailOnline: ‘I believe this is politically motivated, by the internal politics of the Tory party, by politicians who want to humiliate and destroy Boris Johnson.'

He added: ‘I believe that the public will see this for what it is – an internal Conservative party witch hunt instigated by Number Ten against Boris Johnson, who they see as a huge threat.’

Mr Bridgen said he was shocked an investigation had been triggered as other Tory MPs have criticised the head veils before but not faced probes over it.

Boris Johnson (pictured left) is being investigated by the Tory party after comparing women wearing burqas to letterboxes - but his supporters have slammed Theresa May and No10 saying they are orchestrating the move to damage his career

He said: ‘I’m surprised that an investigation is going to be instigated into Boris’ article and his refusal to apologise, especially given Ken Clarke in 2013 described burqas as peculiar.

‘I don’t remember any outcry or calls for an investigation into Ken Clarke’s alleged Islamophobia.

Under Tory Party rules, an investigating officer will now decide if Mr Johnson has flouted their code of conduct and if the probe should be referred on to a panel to grill him on.

If they find him at fault then Mrs May can decide what punishment to give her former minister - and could even kick him out of the Tory Party.

Tory party chairman Brandon Lewis has decided to stand down from his role in selecting the panel if the investigation gets that far as he has already publicly condemned Mr Johnson over the remark.