Boris Johnson has offered a 'full apology' after receiving a lockdown party fine.
It was announced on Tuesday, April 12 Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak received fines from Met Police over lockdown parties. Both politicians went to a spontaneous birthday gathering for the Prime Minister at the Cabinet Office in June 2020.
In a video broadcasted on the BBC, Boris Johnson said he has paid a fixed penalty notice relating to a gathering in the Cabinet Room on his birthday on June 19 2020, and offered a "full apology".
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Speaking at Chequers, Boris Johnson says: "Today I've received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police relating to an event on June 19, 2020. Let me say immediately that I have paid the fine and I once again offer a full apology. And in a spirit of openness and humility I want to be completely clear about what happened on that date.
"My day began shortly at 7am and I chaired eight meetings in No 10 including the Cabinet Committee deciding Covid strategy. I visited a school in Hemel Hempstead which took me out of Downing Street for over four hours.
"And among all these engagements on the day that happened to my birthday, there was a brief gathering in the Cabinet Room shortly after 2pm lasting for less than 10 minutes during which people I work with kindly passed on their good wishes. And I have to say in good 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. I understand the anger that many will feel that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules that the Government I lead had introduced to protect the public and I accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better.
"I feel an even greater sense of obligation to deliver on the priorities of the British people, strengthening our economy, creating jobs and opportunity, levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom, now of course ensuring that Putin fails in Ukraine and easing the burden on hardworking families caused by higher energy families.
"I will take forward that task with due humility, but with maximum determination to fulfil my duty and do what is best for the country I serve."
Mr Johnson is the first serving Prime Minister to have broken the law and committed a criminal offence in office. His wife Carrie Johnson has also been fined over the Partygate scandal relating to a gathering on the afternoon of June 19, 2020.
Back in early December reports of lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street began to surface. After The Mirror’s first Partygate story was published, Mr Johnson told the House of Commons that “all guidance was completely followed in Number 10”.
Rishi Sunak also dismissed the claims in the Lower House and told MPs he did not go to any dos during lockdown. A week later leaked footage emerged of Allegra Stratton, the PM’s former press secretary, joking about parties in Downing Street.
The following day Mr Johnson apologised “unreservedly” and ordered an investigation into claims that the rules were broken. Since then more reports and photos of government officials meeting together during the pandemic emerged.
The first recorded gathering was on 15th May 2020 when the country was in a strict lockdown. The latest incident was a leaving party for James Slack, the Prime Minister’s former Director of Communications, on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral. It has been confirmed that Mr Johnson was not there.
A spokesman for No 10 said: "The Met Police have now explained that the FPN issued to the PM will be in relation to the following incident: "On June 19 2020 at the Cabinet Room, 10 Downing Street, between 1400 and 1500 you participated in a gathering of two or more people indoors."
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