Don’t bet on fines rolled out – chair
THE Tory Party chairman said it is “quite a speculation” to suggest the Prime Minister will receive further fines as part of the police investigation into claims of lockdown parties in No 10.
Downing Street is said to be braced for Boris Johnson to receive a second fixedpenalty notice (FPN) after police reportedly began issuing fines on Friday relating to a “bring your own bottle” drinks do in the No 10 garden on May 20, 2020.
Oliver Dowden appeared to argue it was not a sure bet that the Conservative Party leader would be slapped with a second £50 punishment for breaking his own laws.
The Cabinet minister, asked on the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme about the prospect of additional fines for Mr Johnson, said: “I think in relation to these fines, we just have to let the police investigation happen.
“I think it is quite a speculation to assume there will be more fines issued.”
No 10 said on Friday the Prime Minister had not been fined in relation to the BYOB gathering, but he has previously admitted attending the gathering, held during England’s first lockdown, for 25 minutes.
Mr Johnson has insisted to MPs that he believed it was a work event to thank staff for their efforts during the pandemic.
The Metropolitan Police has already fined Mr Johnson, along with his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, for their part in a birthday bash for the Prime Minister held in June 2020 when Covid rules banned indoor gatherings.
Around 30 guests are said to have sung Happy Birthday to him in the Cabinet room.
Offering a resolute defence of Mr Johnson’s handling of the so-called partygate affair, Conservative chairman Mr Dowden said he did not think a no confidence vote in the Prime Minister had become inevitable as some members of his party have argued.
Mr Dowden also said France and Germany could be doing more to help Ukraine defend itself, saying the West needs to “continue to tighten the ratchet on Russia” as he said Moscow is now focusing on the east of Ukraine with a “determination to keep on going and going”.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a press conference in Kyiv on Saturday that the UK, along with the US, was supplying the “biggest military aid” in its struggle against Moscow’s invading forces.
He praised Britain’s efforts in training his military amid accusations the UK blocked requests to strengthen Kyiv’s defences after Russia’s first strike eight years ago.
Mr Dowden responded: “What I think we are seeing is both changing Russia tactics, so Russia concentrating on the east of Ukraine, and a Russian determination to keep on going and going.
“That’s why I think it is really important we need to continue to tighten the ratchet on Russia, whether that’s, for example, the 120 armoured personnel carriers that the PM agreed with Zelenskyy just last week or whether it is continuing to increase aid and tighten our sanctions.”