Party Fines: At least 50 other fixed penalty notices issued as part of an investigation into COVID law violations | Political news

At least 50 other fines have been issued as a result of a police investigation into lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall during coronavirus restrictions.

But Number 10 confirmed it Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not one of those who received a fixed penalty notice (FPN).

In its latest update on its investigation, the Metropolitan Police said that as of Thursday it had made more than 100 referrals of FPNs to the ACRO Criminal Records Office for violations. COVID-19 regulations.

Three rounds of fines have been introduced before, with 20 announced in the first in late March and more than 30 in April, meaning there are at least 50 FPNs in the latest tranche.

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The identity of the fine recipients was not disclosed by the police, as is a normal practice with the issuance of fixed fine notices.

However, Downing Street has made it clear that it will go public if the prime minister, prime minister or cabinet secretary receives additional fines.

When the second set of fixed penalty notices was revealed in April, it was quickly confirmed that the Prime Minister, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were among those fined for breaking the government’s COVID laws in a scandal known as “partying”.

Read more: All you need to know about the Met Police partygate investigation

All three were fined £50 for attending the Prime Minister’s birthday party in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street on 19 June 2020.

They have all paid fines since then.

That means Mr Johnson becomes the first sitting prime minister to receive punishment for breaking the law.

Responding to reports that the Met Police have now issued 100 fines for vandalism, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Boris Johnson has stood up in parliament and said the rules COVID is always adhered to in Number 10.

“Police have now issued 100 fines on the lawsuit. It shows the incredible scale of Johnson’s Downing Street offense and the extent of his lies.”

But the culture and education secretary said they still had confidence in Mr Johnson despite COVId fines in Whitehall and Downing Street surpassing 100.

Nadine Dorries and Nadhim Zahawi were asked this question before a cabinet meeting at a pottery studio in Staffordshire. The culture minister said “we do” and Mr Zahawi said “absolutely”.

Meanwhile, the leader of Labor Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner are currently being investigated by Durham Police over whether an event attended by party activists last April violated COVID rules.

The investigation came after footage emerged of him drinking beer with a colleague in April 2021 when restrictions were put in place.

Both of them said they will resign if they are penalized by force.

Mr. Keir has accuses Conservative MPs of “going in the mud” about the problem.

Labor has denied that there is any equivalent to Downing Street partying scandalthis has shaken the government and is confident that the party can prove that Sir Keir did not break the lockdown rules.

The developments in April have renewed calls from opposition parties for the Prime Minister to step down – with the prime minister also facing pressure to step down – but Mr Johnson’s position appears secure. all in the short term.

Although Lord Wolfson quit being justice ministerMr Johnson’s cabinet has backed the Prime Minister.

Some Tory MPs have said the Prime Minister should go now, but Mr Johnson’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine appears to have raised his profile and left some of his supporters in the dark. rethink their request to leave his Number 10.

However, other fines for the Prime Minister could change this.

Mr Johnson issued a “full apology” for breaking his own COVID rules, but has said he will not resign.

Despite continued discontent within his party over the lockdown parties taking place on Downing Street and Whitehall, the Prime Minister was adamant last month that he will still be prime minister in six months time.

In April, Conservative MP Robert Largan became the latest of more than a dozen supporters of the Prime Minister’s administration to call for his resignation.

Mr Largan told voters in a news release that he “will not defend the invincible”.

Earlier in the same week, former minister Steve Baker, an influential Conservative MP, said the prime minister “should have gone a long time ago”.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP and Chairman of the Constitutional and Administrative Committee, William Wragg, confirmed he had sent a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership.

The Metropolitan Police’s investigation into Lockdown parties are held on Downing Street and Whitehall is still going on.