Opposition leaders and senior MPs are demanding the immediate resignation of Boris Johnson after sources confirmed he will be fined by police over lockdown parties.
The Met will hand both the prime minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak fixed penalty notices after investigating 12 gatherings held on Downing Street premises while people across the country were forced to stay at home by law.
Johnson and Sunak both rejected accusations of breaking their own laws when confronted by MPs, telling the Commons on different occasions that there were no parties, that they had no knowledge of them, that guidelines were followed or that they were work events.
But today a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the pair had received notice of fines, two of around 50 which have been handed out by police so far. Critics said it made the ministers’ positions untenable.
Boris Johnson’s defence has “been blown out of the water”, wrote Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.
“He told the country all the rules were followed in Downing Street – but that was a lie. Widespread criminality took place at the heart of his Government”, she added.