The two most senior politicians in the UK are to be fined for breaking their own coronavirus laws and attending a party during the COVID lockdown, Number 10 has confirmed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who runs the country’s finances, will be fined by the Metropolitan Police after it was found they violated their own party’s rules during the coronavirus lockdown.
Videos by VICE
The fines come as a result of an investigation by the Met into 12 gatherings that took place in Parliament and Whitehall – colloquially dubbed “Partygate.”
Number 10 has confirmed Johnson’s fine is a result of attending a birthday party thrown for him in June 2020 in the Cabinet Room. 30 people are thought to have attended the party.
Johnson’s wife, Carrie, will also be fined.
More than 50 fines have been handed out.
The Prime Minister initially denied he had breached any coronavirus laws, later changing his position and agreeing to an inquiry by civil servant Sue Gray into the alleged events.
Multiple MPs have called for Johnson and Sunak to step down.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, has called for Johnson and Sunak to go.
The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has also called for Johnson to resign, as has the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Former Conservative Minister Rory Stewart said the fines proved Johnson had repeatedly lied to Parliament, and that he must step down.
Johnson is the first Prime Minister in history to have publicly been found to have broken the law while in office.
