British police said on Tuesday, they are issuing 20 fines related to the investigation of breaches of lockdown laws due to parties hosted at Downing Street, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff present at many.
The Met released a statement saying, “We will today initially begin to refer 20 fixed penalty notices to be issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations”, adding, “We are making every effort to progress this investigation at speed and have completed a number of assessments”.
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The police said the investigation is ongoing and didn’t disclose the number or identities of those who are being fined. However, Johnson seems to have escaped the first wave of fines.
When the first wave of lockdowns was in place, PM Johnson and his staff reportedly had a series of parties, which flouted the rules at the time. Johnson has already apologized for the same, especially after the Gray report came out, finding the PM’s birthday party had also been organized at the time. This internal report is separate from the current ongoing police investigation.
Johnson agreed to cooperate with the police investigation and has already submitted his answer to a questionnaire. The PM was at the time embattled as well, with those within his party calling for Johnson’s resignation.
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In recent times, however, the national headlines have shifted from ‘partygate’ to the international crisis as Russia has sent troops into Ukraine. Johnson has emerged as a prominent face, constantly commenting on the situation and remaining in contact with President Volodymyr Zelensky, while taking a hardline stance against Russia.
The current news of the fines risks reviving the ‘partygate’ scandal in the UK, for which Johnson has already recognized that the public’s anger is justified, after long denying any wrongdoing occurred at Downing Street during the first COVID lockdown.
