Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to be fined over Partygate

The Prime Minister and Chancellor will be fined

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak will receive fines after breaking covid lockdown laws.

Carrie Johnson, the PM’s wife, has also been told she will receive a fixed penalty notice.

The news was confirmed by no 10 officials on Tuesday afternoon, after the PM, his wife and the chancellor found out they will be fined.

The Metropolitan Police has now issued 50 fines for breaches of lockdown regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street, it was also confirmed today.

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

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

The PM had initially insisted “guidance was followed at all times” and that he had been “repeatedly assured that there were no parties”. Mr Johnson also told the Commons he was “furious” to see footage of staff joking about holding illegal parties in Downing Street.

In December, when Mr Sunak was asked whether he had attended any Christmas parties the year prior, he told the Commons: “No, I did not attend any parties.”

A reminder of when Boris Johnson said he was "furious" to see footage of staff joking about holding illegal parties in Downing Street.

All the while he knew he had attended them himself. pic.twitter.com/kiJw2iBQZw

— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) April 12, 2022

The Met Police initially said it would not investigate allegations of rule-breaking at Downing Street. But it then did a U-turn when senior civil servant Sue Gray, who has been leading the inquiry, passed on information.

Now, the force has already issued 50 fines for breaches of lockdown regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street.

The Met Police statement 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].”

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public.

They must both resign.

The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 12, 2022

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

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and London Mayor are also amongst those calling on Johnson and Sunak to go.

Should Boris Johnson resign?

— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) April 12, 2022

The fines come at a time when Parliament is in recess, meaning MPs will not have the immediate opportunity to hold the pair to account. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is demanding Parliament is recalled so that MPs can hold a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.