London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Apr 05, 2026

Police issue 50 more fines over Covid-rule breaking in Downing Street

Police issue 50 more fines over Covid-rule breaking in Downing Street

The Metropolitan Police have issued more than 50 new fines for breaches of Covid rules in Downing Street and other government buildings.

The Fixed Penalty Notices follow more than 50 handed out last month, including to Boris Johnson, wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Neither the PM nor Mrs Johnson are among those to be fined this time.

The latest penalties are thought to involve a Christmas party in December 2020, which Mr Johnson did not attend.

No 10 has promised to reveal any further fines imposed on the prime minister.

The Met have been investigating 12 gatherings, at least three of which Mr Johnson is known to have attended.

As he arrived for a special cabinet meeting taking place at a pottery in Staffordshire, the prime minister was asked whether he was "shocked" at the scale of law-breaking in No 10.

"We'll have plenty to say about that when the thing's finished," he replied.

In a statement, the Met said the investigation "remains live". Further fines are expected to follow, but no timescale has been given.


The latest Met update screams two things: scale and culture. Covid law-breaking, involving loads of people, happened for months on end, at the heart of a government led by Boris Johnson.

While millions of people made colossal sacrifices to live within rules devised in Downing Street, behind that door, and others in Whitehall, the rules were being ignored, broken.

And we are far from the end of the revelations about what has become known as Partygate.

So what does Labour make of all this?

Well, it's been rather muted. Leader Sir Keir Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner and others are themselves under investigation by Durham police.

While they've said they'll resign if they're fined, that twist appears to have dialled down, if not neutered, the moral outrage we've heard from them on all this in the past.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray and the House of Commons privileges committee are also running inquiries into what has become widely known as Partygate.

Opposition parties have called for Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak to resign, but Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also come under pressure after he was filmed drinking beer in City of Durham MP Mary Foy's constituency office during coronavirus restrictions in April last year.

Durham police launched an investigation last week and Sir Keir - who denies any rule-breaking - has said he will resign if he is found to have been in breach of regulations in place at the time.

Last month, Mr Johnson, Mrs Johnson and Mr Sunak were each fined £50 over a surprise birthday party for the PM that took place in Downing Street's Cabinet Room in June 2020.

Allegra Stratton resigned over video footage a Downing Street mock press conference was revealed


The latest set of penalties are thought to relate, in part, to the 18 December 2020 Christmas party, which Downing Street staff were filmed joking about a few days later.

Allegra Stratton, the prime minister's former press secretary, resigned in December last year, after the footage was revealed by ITV News. She had not been at the party but was filmed joking with officials who had attended.

Speaking in the House of Commons on the day Ms Stratton quit, Mr Johnson said he had been "repeatedly assured" that "there was no party" on 18 December 2020 and "no Covid rules were broken".

He later added that guidance and regulations had been "followed at all times".

Responding to the latest fines, Labour's shadow House of Commons Leader Thangam Debbonaire accused the prime minister of presiding over "industrial scale" rule-breaking.

She added that Downing Street and Whitehall were the "most fined location anywhere in Britain".

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Boris Johnson stood up in Parliament and said Covid rules were followed in No 10 at all times.

"Now 100 fines have been issued by the police over Partygate. It shows the shocking scale of the law-breaking in Johnson's Downing Street and the extent of his lies."

But Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi both backed the prime minister as they arrived for Thursday's cabinet meeting.

Asked if they still had faith in Mr Johnson, Ms Dorries replied: "We do."

"Absolutely," Mr Zahawi added.

The publication of Ms Gray's full report has been delayed by the Met Police investigation.

But her interim findings, released in February, criticised "failures of leadership and judgement by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office" and said that "some of the events should not have been allowed to take place".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Economic Pressures Mount as Analysts Warn UK Growth Is Being Constrained by Policy Burdens
UK Green Party’s Push for Church-State Separation Sparks Debate Over National Identity
Strategic Island Emerges as Growing Challenge for United States and United Kingdom Defense Planning
Pepsi Pulls Sponsorship from UK Festival Following Backlash Linked to Kanye West
Signs Emerge of Declining Enthusiasm for Social Media in the United Kingdom
Security Alert Raised Ahead of Meghan Markle’s Planned Visit to Australia
UK Food Halls Defy Hospitality Slowdown, Emerging as Bright Spot in Challenging Market
UK Sets Firm Conditions for Military Action, Insisting on Legal Mandate and Clear Strategy
UK Medicines Regulator Launches Probe into Peptide Clinics Over Health Claims
New North Sea Drilling Unlikely to Significantly Cut UK Gas Imports, Analysis Finds
Woman Linked to UK’s First All-Female Terror Plot Faces Deportation
Downed US Aircraft Over Iran Linked to Operations from UK Airfield
Two Men and Teen Detained in UK Following Attack on Jewish Charity Ambulance
UK Police Launch Inquiry After Firearms Left Unattended Outside Mayor’s Residence
Giuffre Family Calls on King Charles to Meet Epstein Survivors During US Visit
Amber Wind Warning Issued as Storm Dave Approaches Parts of the United Kingdom
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit Set to Draw Heightened Global Attention
UK Considers Entry Fees for Overseas Visitors at Major Museums Ahead of 2026 Travel Season
UK Prime Minister and Kuwait Crown Prince Coordinate Security Response After Regional Escalation
Calls Grow to Expand Fully Paid Maternity Leave for UK Teachers Amid Workforce Pressures
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access to US Market in Landmark Pharmaceuticals Agreement
Trump Projects Strength in Critique of UK Leadership and Naval Readiness
UK FinTech Setback as VibePay and Smartlayer Cease Operations Amid Funding Pressures
UK Leads Global Coalition of Over Forty Nations to Address Strait of Hormuz Crisis
UK Firms Urged to Accelerate Preparation as New Sustainability Reporting Rules Take Shape
UK Moves Rapid Sentry Air Defence System to Kuwait After Drone Strike Escalation
Transatlantic Relations Tested as UK Seeks Balance While Trump Reshapes Strategic Approach
Trump’s Strategic Pressure on UK Seen as Push for Stronger Alignment and Fairer Terms
UK Focuses on Trade Finance to Secure Critical Materials for Defence and Energy Sectors
Majority of UK Businesses Hit by Middle East Conflict While Confidence Holds Firm
UK Royal Navy Faces Renewed Scrutiny as Debate Intensifies Over Capability and Readiness
Reform UK Faces Mounting Distractions as Policy Agenda Struggles to Gain Traction
Investigation Launched Into Northern Cyprus IVF Clinics After UK Families Receive Incorrect Sperm
International Meeting Issues Unified Call to Safeguard Navigation Through Strait of Hormuz
Potential Strait of Hormuz Closure Raises Concerns Over UK Food and Medicine Supply Chains
UK Leads Coalition of Over Forty Nations Urging Iran to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
UK Secures Tariff-Free Access for Medicines in Landmark US Pharma Trade Agreement
King Charles III Invited to Address Joint Session of U.S. Congress in Rare Diplomatic Honor
Debate Grows Over Whether Expanded North Sea Drilling Can Reduce UK Energy Bills
UK Faces Heightened Risk of Jet Fuel Shortages, Airline Chief Warns
UK Ends Police Investigations into Lawful Social Media Posts After Review Finds Overreach
Abramovich Moves to Establish Charity for Frozen Chelsea Sale Proceeds Amid UK Dispute
Starmer Reaffirms NATO Commitment While Responding to Trump’s Strategic Critique
UK Aid Reductions Raise Fears of Severe Human Impact Across Parts of Africa
UK Signals Renewed Push for EU Cooperation as Iran Conflict Reshapes Security Landscape
Bank of England Signals Caution as Bailey Advises Markets Against Expecting Rate Hikes
UK to Convene Global Coalition to Restore Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz
Trump Signals Possible NATO Reassessment, Emphasizes Stronger U.S. Strategic Autonomy
Australia Joins British-Led Efforts to Reopen Strait of Hormuz Amid Escalating Tensions
King Charles Plans US State Visit as UK Strengthens Ties with Trump Leadership
×