UK: Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak fined over lockdown parties
By Jennifer Scott
Political reporter, BBC News
Boris Johnson has been fined by the police for attending a birthday party thrown for him during a Covid lockdown.
The prime minister confirmed he had paid the fine for going to the hour-long gathering in the Cabinet Room on 19 June 2020.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has also been fined, while the PM’s wife, Carrie Johnson, confirmed she had paid a fine relating to the same event.
Mr Johnson apologised but said he would not resign over the incident.
“I accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better,” he said in an interview, at his Chequers country retreat.
“[But] now I feel an even greater sense of obligation to deliver on the priorities of the British people.”
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The fines come as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation into illegal parties that broke Covid rules in Downing Street.
Mr Johnson’s fine makes him the UK’s first serving prime minister to be sanctioned for breaking the law.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Scotland’s First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, and Wales’ Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford are among those calling for both the PM and the chancellor to resign.
And all the main opposition parties in Westminster have demanded Parliament be recalled from its Easter break so MPs can discuss the matter.
Speaking on Tuesday, the PM claimed the event he was fined for was “a brief gathering” that lasted “less than 10 minutes”.
He added: “In all frankness, at that time it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules.
“But, of course, the police have found otherwise and I fully respect the outcome of their investigation.”
Mr Johnson also said he understood the anger the public might feel that he “fell short when it came to observing the rules that the government I lead had introduced to protect the public”.
But asked if he would resign, he replied: “I want to be able to get on and deliver the mandate that I have [and] also to tackle the problems the country must face right now, and to make sure that we get on with delivering for the people of this country.
“That is my priority.”
A spokesperson for Mr Sunak said he had not been told which event the fines were linked to.
However, he was reported to be at the same gathering for the PM’s birthday – said to have been attended by 30 people.
The Metropolitan Police is looking into 12 alleged law-breaking gatherings across Whitehall.
So far, more than 50 fines have been handed out, with more expected.
‘Truly shameless’
The Covid 19 Bereaved Families for Justice group said there was “simply no way either the prime minister or chancellor can continue” in their jobs, calling their actions “truly shameless”.
Labour’s Sir Keir said the fines showed the Conservatives were “totally unfit to govern”, adding: “Britain deserves better.”
And the SNP’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said the PM and chancellor had “insulted the millions of people who faithfully followed the rules”.
The Green Party echoed calls for the pair to resign, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “This is a government in crisis neglecting a country in crisis.”
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak’s behaviour “unacceptable”, but he said removing them during the war in Ukraine “would destabilise the UK government when we need to be united in the face of Russian aggression”.
Some ministers have also tweeted their support for the PM, with Tory Chair Amanda Milling insisting he continued to be “the right person to lead the country”.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss – who has been described as a front-runner to lead the Conservatives in the event of a leadership race – also added her support for the prime minister and chancellor.
She tweeted that both men were “delivering for Britain on many fronts” and “have my 100% backing”.
Other Cabinet members, including Michael Gove, Simon Clarke and Kwasi Kwarteng, have also tweeted their support.
Allegations
Reports of parties being held in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 first emerged in December last year.
Mr Johnson initially insisted that “guidelines were followed at all times”.
As more gatherings were revealed, the prime minister apologised for attending a drinks party in the Downing Street garden, but told Parliament he believed he had been attending a work event.
Mr Sunak was also asked in the Commons in December 2021 if he had attended Christmas parties said to have taken place the previous year.
He replied: “No, I did not attend any parties.
Mr Johnson ordered an inquiry into the allegations of rule-breaking, led by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
The Met initially said it would not retrospectively investigate the allegations unless “significant evidence” of a regulation breach came forward.
But after Ms Gray passed information to officers, they launched their own inquiry.
Ms Gray released an interim report, stating there had been a “failure of leadership” in Downing Street.
But her full report will not be released until the Met have concluded their investigation.
Among those already issued fines is the government’s former head of ethics Helen MacNamara, who received a fine – known officially as a fixed-penalty notice – for attending a leaving party in the Cabinet Office in June 2020.
Sources have told the BBC that some fines had also been given to people who attended a leaving party in Downing Street on 16 April 2021 – the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral.
Those who receive fines can either pay within 28 days or contest the police decision.
If they contest the fine, police will review the case and then either withdraw the penalty or take the matter to court.
Fixed-penalty notices for breaking Covid laws do not result in a criminal record.
Sue Gray’s record of the gatherings
The government has faced intense pressure over gatherings held in and around Downing Street during Covid lockdowns. Senior civil servant Sue Gray has said that many of them “should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did.” Here is what we know about them and the restrictions in place at the time:
15 May 2020
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said “those people were at work talking about work”.
The rules:
Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
20 May 2020
About 100 people were invited by email to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden this evening”. Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended. Boris Johnson has declined to say whether he was among those there.
This event is being investigated by the police.
18 June 2020
A gathering took place in the Cabinet Office to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
This event is being investigated by the police.
19 June 2020
On Boris Johnson’s birthday, up to 30 people gathered in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to present the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday, according to a report by ITV News.
No 10 said staff had “gathered briefly” to “wish the prime minister a happy birthday”, adding that he had been there “for less than 10 minutes”.
The rules:
Restrictions at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.
This event is being investigated by the police.
13 November 2020
Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place. There was a separate gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the same day to mark the departure of a special adviser.
The rules:
Eight days earlier Boris Johnson had announced a new lockdown in England. Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.
These events are being investigated by the police.
27 November 2020
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
10 December 2020
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
The rules:
Eight days earlier, London had been placed in restrictions which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless “reasonably necessary” for work purposes.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
14 December 2020
The Conservative Party has admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party’s London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to speak to two people who attended the party.
This event was not included in Sue Gray’s report.
15 December 2020
Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo – published by the Sunday Mirror – shows Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.
This event is not being investigated by the police.
16 December 2020
The Department for Transport has apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices, calling it “inappropriate” and an “error of judgment” by staff.
The rules:
London moved into the highest tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was health secretary at the time, said it was important “everyone is cautious” ahead of the festive period.
This event was not included in Sue Gray’s report.
17 December 2020
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce – the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.
Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was “truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result”.
A second gathering was held in the Cabinet Office to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office.
A third gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of a No 10 official
These events are being investigated by the police.
18 December 2020
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street. However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister’s then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”
This event is being investigated by the police.
14 January 2021
A gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of two private secretaries.
This event is being investigated by the police.
16 April 2021
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip’s funeral.
One of the events was a leaving party for the PM’s then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it “should not have happened at the time that it did”.
Boris Johnson was not at either party.
The rules
The rules had been eased in England on 12 April, but working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.
These events are being investigated by the police.
For more on this story and video go to: BBC
