By James Simons-
Twenty fines are to be issued as part of the police inquiry into Downing Street parties that breached Covid-19 rules.
The Met police said it will not be saying who is fined or confirming which events the fixed penalty notices relate to, though Downing Street has promised to reveal whether the prime minister is among the recipients.
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Fixed penalty notices are a sanction for breaking the law, and mean a fine which needs to be paid within 28 days, or contested. If someone chooses to contest the fine, the police will then review the case and decide whether to withdraw the fine or take the matter to court.
A number of Tory MPs have privately said they would move to trigger a no confidence vote if Johnson is fined by the Met, though a number of them have withdrawn letters of no confidence because of the Ukraine crisis.
After a leaked video to ITV showed staff joking about having cheese and wine, he apologized for the “impression it gives” but said: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged, that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken.”
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The so-called “Partygate” scandal, which emerged in late 2021, sparked the most serious threat to Johnson’s premiership to date. His early denials of any wrongdoing — coupled with the subsequent revelation that he had himself attended several parties that officers were investigating — sparked calls for him to resign from across the political spectrum.
“We are making every effort to progress this investigation at speed and have completed a number of assessments,” the police said in their Tuesday statement. They added that, “due to the significant amount of investigative material that remains to be assessed,” more fines could be recommended “if the evidential threshold is made.”
Tuesday’s statement does not name any of the people who the fines will be issued to, and does not identify which of the events being investigated were found to have included rule-breaking.
During the course of the two-month investigation, the Met sent questionnaires to more than 100 members of staff and aides, including Johnson and his wife, Carrie; the head of the civil service, Simon Case; and the prime minister’s former principal private secretary Martin Reynolds.
The police say there is still a “significant amount” of material to be assessed and that more fines could come in the future.
In a statement they said: “We are making every effort to progress this investigation at speed and have completed a number of assessments.”
The police have been investigating 12 events that may have breached coronavirus lockdown rules, including at least three attended by Boris Johnson. As part of their inquiries, they have sent out over 100 questionnaires to ask about people’s participation in the events.
Reports of gatherings during the lockdown prompted public anger and several Conservative MPs called for the prime minister to resign.
However, since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, some have withdrawn their demand.
Mr Johnson had previously insisted that “guidelines were followed at all times”.
He later apologized for attending a drinks party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, but insisted that he believed it was a work event.
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