British police defend ‘Partygate’ probe

Agencies

LONDON: British police on Thursday said they had acted “without fear or favour” while investigating numerous lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street, following criticism that Prime Minister Boris Johnson only received a single fine despite attending more than one of the raucous events. London’s Metropolitan police, which conducted the probe into the so-called “Partygate”

scandal, also highlighted that it had issued more than 100 fines to dozens of civil servants and politicians.

“We have not shied away from issuing a fixed penalty notice where we thought it was deserved,” Acting Commissioner Stephen House told a London Assembly oversight committee, insisting Johnson had not been shown any leniency. “I’m not particularly concerned about what the prime minister thinks. I do my job without fear or favour, as did the Met in this situation.”

His comments came the day after an internal inquiry confirmed in lurid details that, despite initial government denials, a litany of illegal Downing Street gatherings occurred that saw staff vomit, fight and insult cleaners and security guards.

The publication of the longawaited report by senior bureaucrat Sue Gray, which also included photos of Johnson giving a toast at an event he was not fined for attending, has renewed pressure on the embattled leader to quit.

Since its release several MPS from his Conservative party have called publicly for his resignation, but the Tory leader is refusing.

Meanwhile, three lawmakers from governing Conservatives pulled their support for Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday over the damning report . Conservative lawmakers John Baron, David Simmonds and Stephen Hammond said they could no longer support the prime minister.