Boris Johnson repeatedly told MPs no Covid rules had been broken when law-breaking in Downing Street was so rife police today revealed 126 fines had been issued.
Announcing the end of their “partygate” probe, the Met revealed the Prime Minister had not received further fixed penalty notices despite being at six of the lockdown-busting gatherings.
Dozens of aides received fines for the same events and junior officials working in No10 told the Mirror they were “unhappy” that they ended up “carrying the can” for the rule-breaking while the PM escaped further censure.
Scotland Yard said 83 people had been fined for events held over an 11-month period. But on December 1, 2021, the PM told the Commons: “All guidance was followed completely in No10.” He repeated that claim on six other occasions that month, on December 8 telling MPs: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party.”
Mr Johnson now faces an inquiry by the Commons privileges committee into whether he deliberately misled MPs, historically a resignation matter, by claiming no rules were broken.
Civil servant Sue Gray is set to publish her report into partygate next week.
No 10 said Mr Johnson would update Parliament after Ms Gray published her report. The PM’s spokesman said: “I would say the Prime Minister is pleased the investigation has concluded.” But the announcement of the 126 fines has led to more calls for the PM to resign.
Labour leader Keir Starmer, himself facing a police inquiry for potential rule-breaking over “beergate”, said: “After an investigation that shows 120-plus breaches of the law in Downing Street, of course he should resign. He’s responsible for the culture.”
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “It beggars belief Conservative MPs are allowing our great country to be run by a Prime Minister who broke the law then repeatedly lied about it.”
Tory MP Sir Roger Gale, a critic of the Prime Minister, told Channel 4 News: “I think there may be quite a lot of angry people who feel he has had a get-out-of-jail card.” But he said with the Sue Gray report “coming down the tracks” there was the “likelihood” of a leadership challenge before the summer recess.
Safiah Ngah, of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: “Conservative MPs promised they would make their mind up about the Prime Minister when the Sue Gray report is released.
“There is no reason for that report to be delayed any longer.
“Every day they do not act they allow a man who gas lit us and lied to the faces of the bereaved when he claimed he did ‘everything possible’ to save our loved-ones to remain in the highest office in the land.” The Mirror has learned that police told Mr Johnson he was only investigated for two events, the Abba party in his Downing Street flat and the birthday bash, for which he, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined.
Mr and Mrs Johnson have been informed they will not be fined again.
It is unclear why police felt it was “reasonably necessary” for the PM to be at the rest of the events for work purposes, but not the other attendees who were fined.
Covid laws expert Adam Wagner said: “I don’t really understand how he can attend, participate in what were deemed to be illegal gatherings, unless, for each one, the people who stayed on later did something different and were fined for that.” In January 2021, Mr Johnson’s government launched a poster campaign urging the public to obey Covid rules, using a picture of a woman on oxygen with the caption: “Look her in the eyes and tell her you never bend the rules.”
But Mr Johnson became the first sitting PM to be found to have broken the law when he was fined over his June 2020 lockdown birthday party.
Police looked at 12 parties as part of the £460,000, four-month Operation Hillman.
Of the 83 people fined, 35 men and 48 women, 55 got one fine each, and 71 fines were shared between 28 people.
The Met’s acting deputy commissioner Helen Ball said the probe was “thorough and impartial”. The 12 detectives working on Operation Hillman studied 345 documents, including emails, door logs, diary entries and witness statements. They also saw 510 photos and CCTV images and 204 questionnaires.
The Johnsons are believed to have escaped fines for a gathering in their flat on November 13, 2020, because they said it was a work event.
It was previously reported that Abba music could be heard blasting from the flat as people celebrated the departure of Dominic Cummings.
The PM is believed to have claimed he was interviewing one of his wife’s friends, a government aide, for a job.
