British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday offered a “wholehearted” apology for attending an illegal party during lockdown, but says he didn’t knowingly break rules or mislead Parliament.

The British PM told lawmakers in the House of Commons that it did not occur to him that the gathering was a party.

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Earlier, Johnson was fined 50 pounds ($66) for attending his own surprise birthday party in 10 Downing Street in June 2020. The penalty made Johnson the first British prime minister ever found to have broken the law while in office.

Police are still investigating several other parties in government buildings that Johnson is alleged to have attended.

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The vote is scheduled for Thursday. Before that, Johnson is expected to sound contrite, but argue that it would be wrong to change leaders while Britain faces crises including the war in Ukraine and a cost-of-living squeeze driven by surging energy and goods prices.

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Johnson and his Conservative government have faced growing outrage since allegations surfaced late last year that he and his staff held office parties in 2020 and 2021 when millions in the country were barred from meeting with friends and family — or even attending funerals for their loved ones.

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The fine followed a police investigation and a civil service probe into the gatherings. Johnson tried to bat away questions, first by saying there were no parties and then by insisting that he believed no rules were broken.