London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Boris Johnson expected to deny wrongdoing over No 10 parties

Boris Johnson expected to deny wrongdoing over No 10 parties

PM to argue his presence was part of the working day, though his official response to Met will remain private
Boris Johnson is expected to deny wrongdoing to the police by arguing his presence at Downing Street gatherings in lockdown was part of the working day, though No 10 said his official response to the Metropolitan police would remain private.

The prime minister has until Friday to answer a questionnaire sent by the Met which may lead the force to issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or conclude there was no case to answer.

Johnson is expected to reject the allegation that he broke any laws prohibiting gatherings, but No 10 said it would not make public his defence. His official spokesperson said: “We will respond as required. As you know, I think the Met made clear that that was in seven days, so we will comply with that requirement.”

Questionnaires have been sent by the Met to dozens of aides and civil servants believed to have been at gatherings in Downing Street during lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.

Speaking on a visit in Scotland, Johnson said he would have “a lot more in due course” to say on the partygate row once the police investigation was concluded. At that point, the full investigation by Sue Gray, the senior civil servant tasked with carrying out an inquiry, is expected to be published.

After the publication of Gray’s initial findings, Johnson apologised for the culture in Downing Street and claimed he would “fix it”. But he went on to strike a less contrite tone, throwing a false insult at Keir Starmer, suggesting the Labour leader was responsible for the failure to prosecute the serial sex abuser Jimmy Savile while director of public prosecutions.

Starmer confirmed on Monday he had received death threats as a result of the slur, saying what the prime minister said was “very wrong” and he “knew what he was doing”.

Throughout the partygate scandal, Johnson has continued to insist he broke no rules, but apologised for attending one gathering, a “bring your own booze” garden party organised by his principal private secretary on 20 May 2020.

He is also believed to have been present at a birthday celebration in No 10 on 19 June 2020 and leaving dos for aides in November that year and in January 2021. Police are also investigating a gathering in his personal flat in Downing Street.

If the police issue Johnson with a fine, he could accept it or potentially challenge it. Payment of the penalty does not constitute an admission of guilt to an offence and does not result in a criminal record, but the failure to pay it could lead to a prosecution in a magistrates court.

The law firm Bindmans has pointed out there is no statutory mechanism for appeal or review of a FPN issued under Health Protection Regulations.

They say those who choose not to pay may “request a hearing” and be prosecuted, risking criminalisation. However, it is possible to make representations to the police requesting withdrawal of a FPN, or another route of challenge may involve the threat of judicial review proceedings in the high court.

Bindmans said: “It is not clear whether the decision to give a FPN is a decision which the high court would consider to be susceptible to judicial review. However, we have been successful in persuading police forces to withdraw FPNs and pay our clients’ legal costs after sending pre-action correspondence.”

Any penalty awarded by the police move has the potential to spark fresh expressions of no confidence in Johnson from Tory MPs.

Some backbenchers have held off calling for a ballot on his leadership until the outcome of the Met’s investigation, having suggested they could submit a letter of no confidence if Johnson is found to have misled parliament or is fined for breaking the Covid rules he set.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×