No new fine for Johnson over parties

Boris Johnson was not among those to be fined in the latest tranche of penalties issued by the Metropolitan Police over partygate, Downing Street has confirmed.

Yesterday the force announced about a further 50 fixed penalty notice referrals as part of its investigation into possible lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street and across Whitehall.

It brings the number of fines to more than 100 – with Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak hit with fixed penalty notices last month over a birthday party held for the prime minister in No 10’s Cabinet Room in June 2020.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said Mr Johnson had broken his own rules at “recordbreaking scale”, adding that “Britain deserves better”.

It comes as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is caught in a row of his own over a possible Covid rule breach after he was filmed last year drinking beer with staff in a party office in Durham.

Mr Johnson’s official spokesman confirmed following the Met’s update that neither the PM nor Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were among those fined in the latest tranche.

“With regards to the cabinet secretary and the prime minister, I don’t have any update ... the position (is) we will update you if that were to change,” he said.

Pressed on whether it was his understanding that the PM and Mr Case were not among those hit with the most recent set of penalties, the spokesman said: “That’s correct.”

He added: “The prime minister has on a number of occasions apologised and made clear that there were things we simply did not get right, and that he is sorry for how this matter has been handled.

“Obviously that remains the case.

“He will have more to say at the conclusion and when the Sue Gray report is published.”

The prime minister said he was “sure we’ll have plenty to say about that when the thing’s finished” when asked about the extent of law-breaking in Downing Street as he arrived for a Cabinet meeting in Staffordshire yesterday.

Ministers dodged questions on whether they still had faith in Mr Johnson when asked about the latest development at the same event. Home Secretary Priti Patel failed to say whether or not she still supported Mr Johnson, while Health Secretary Sajid Javid also chose not to answer when asked why the PM would not resign, despite Sir Keir’s promise to do so if he is handed a fixed penalty notice.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “As of Thursday May 12, Operation Hillman, the investigation into breaches of Covid-19 regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street, has made more than 100 referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to the ACRO Criminal Records Office.

“The investigation remains live.”

Mr Johnson is alleged to have been at six of the 12 events being examined by the force, meaning he could be fined again.

The PM is facing an inquiry by the Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament with his assurances that Covid rules were followed in No 10.

There have been ongoing calls for him to resign over the matter.

On Wednesday, Communities Secretary Michael Gove said it was “bonkeroony” to suggest Mr Johnson should resign over lockdown parties.