Boris Johnson offers ‘full apology’ but won’t resign over partygate fine
Boris Johnson has apologised after being fined by the Met Police for breaking lockdown rules but said he would not resign.
The prime minister said: “I have paid the fine and I once again offer a full apology.”
Asked if he would quit over the fine, Mr Johnson said: “I want to be able to get on and deliver the mandate that I have, but also to tackle the problems that the country must face right now.”
Pressed on whether the fact he had broken his own laws meant that was not possible, he responded: “I believe that it’s my job to get on and deliver for the people of this country and that is what I’m going to do.”
Calls for PM and chancellor to resign after Met says they broke law – follow live updates
Discussing how he had been fined for attending his own birthday party in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street in June 2020, the prime minister said “in all frankness at that time it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules”.
He said he “spoke in completely good faith” when he repeatedly said all guidelines were followed in Downing Street.
Johnson, wife and chancellor issued fines
Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were notified they would be issued with fines for breaking lockdown rules.
Both Mr and Mrs Johnson are understood to have paid £50 each, a reduced rate as the fixed penalty notices were settled within 14 days.
The fixed penalty notices are the result of a Metropolitan Police investigation into parties in Downing Street and Whitehall in 2020 and 2021.
Mr Johnson has become the first sitting prime minister to receive a punishment for breaking the law.
Opposition calls for PM to quit
Labour have called for both the prime minister and chancellor to resign.
Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has also urged them to quit. Her Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford said the prime minister must go.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP called for parliament to be recalled from recess.
Earlier the Met Police disclosed it had now referred more than 50 cases for fixed penalties as a result of the investigation, named Operation Hillman.
PM fined for attending own birthday party
Number 10 confirmed the prime minister was fined for going to his birthday party in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street in June 2020.
Mrs Johnson’s spokesperson said she had paid a fixed penalty notice relating to the gathering and “apologises unreservedly”.
Read more:
Everything you need to know about the police investigation of partygate
Sky News understands Mr Sunak only answered a police questionnaire in relation to the birthday party.
Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns previously claimed Mr Johnson was “ambushed by a cake” at the event, where up to 30 people are said to have gathered and sung Happy Birthday.
Most Britons think PM should resign, poll shows
A YouGov poll has revealed 57% of people think Mr Johnson should resign as prime minister after being fined for attending the party, while 30% said he should stay.
The same proportion of the 2,464 adults polled said Mr Sunak should also resign as chancellor for being at the same event.
Some 75% of responders said they thought Mr Johnson knowingly lied to parliament about whether he broke lockdown rules, with 12% saying he did not.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “This is the first time in the history of our country that a prime minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. Britain deserves better, they have to go.”
