Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak to be fined for attending lockdown parties in Downing Street

Tom Nicholson/PA Wire

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have been notified they will be fined for attending parties during the height of lockdown.

Whilst the overwhelming majority of the United Kingdom obeyed the orders to “stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives”, Johnson and Sunak attended various parties in Downing Street, where nearly two years later an investigation was started by the Metropolitan police into 12 events where the restrictions may have been breached.

A Downing Street spokesman has said:

The prime minister and chancellor have today received notification that the Metropolitan police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices.

The leader of the Opposition, Kier Starmer, has come forward and said “Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public, they must both resign. The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better.”

Met police investigated the 12 gatherings as they took place on over eight separate dates and included a “bring your own booze” event in the Downing Street garden on 20 May 2020. This event was organized by the prime minister's private secretary Martin Reynolds.

Another event included a surprise birthday gathering for Mr. Johnson in the cabinet room in June 2020, which was attended by the chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak.

Several Conservative MPs and the Opposition have said that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak should resign because of Partygate. Can Boris Johnson really recover from this? As the saying goes, lawmakers can't be lawbreakers.