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12th Apr 2022

Carrie Johnson to be fined over Partygate scandal along with PM and Rishi Sunak

Steve Hopkins

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have also been fined

The prime minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, is also reportedly to be fined over covid lockdown parties at Downing Street.

The Telegraph reported that Carrie had been told she would receive a fixed penalty notice.

Carrie’s spokeswoman made a statement to the newspaper after No.10 announced Tuesday that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are also to be fined over ‘partygate’.

The spokesperson went on to say that Carrie had yet to receive “any further details about the nature” of the fixed penalty notice.

Carrie has been linked to two events, one on 13 November 2020, described as a “victory party” held by her friends after the PM’s then top aide Dominic Cummings quit government, and another on 19 June 2020, which was a 56th “birthday party” for  Johnson held in the Cabinet room in Downing Street.

Earlier a No.10 spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have today received notification that the Metropolitan Police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices. We have no further details, but we will update you again when we do.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcQHLWYoLsR/

Police are investigating 12 gatherings held at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office after an internal inquiry found the PM’s staff had enjoyed alcohol-fuelled parties, with Johnson attending some of the events himself.

The Met Police on Tuesday announced it had made 50 referrals for breaches of lockdown regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street.

The Met said: “As of Tuesday, 12 April 2022 we have made over 50 referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPN) to the ACRO Criminal Records Office for breaches of COVID-19 regulations who following the referral issue the FPNs to the individual.”

The statement continued: “We are making every effort to progress this investigation at speed, this includes continuing to assess significant amounts of investigative material from which further referrals may be made to ACRO [Criminal Records Office].”

The Met issued 20 of the 50-odd fines last month.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer slammed Johnson, Sunak, and the Conservative Party as being “totally unfit to govern”, adding “Britain deserves better” and urged the two to resign.

The comments were echoed by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

The fines come at a time when Parliament is in recess, meaning MPs will not have the immediate opportunity to hold Johnson and Sunak to account. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey demanded Parliament be recalled on Tuesday so that MPs can hold a vote of no confidence in the PM.