Political editor Robert Peston explains whether Boris Johnson knowingly misled MPs with his comments at partygate Conservative ministers denounced by mourning families of Covid victims shouting “Shall we go to another party?” after it was announced that 20 fines would be issued in connection with the Met Police partygate investigation. The jokes targeted senior Tory lawmakers, including Leveling Up Secretary Michael Gove, as they arrived to attend a dinner hosted by Boris Johnson at Park Plaza, a luxury hotel near Westminster Bridge. Dozens of grieving relatives who lost loved ones during the pandemic lined up outside the entrance on Tuesday afternoon to disapprove of visitors, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Screams of “shame on you” and “are we going to another party?” Mr. Gove and Brexit Opportunity Minister Jacob Reese-Mogg. ITV News UK editor Paul Brand questioned Conservative MPs as they arrived at the hotel. Simon Mundell, Scotland’s former minister, said the rally was just “colleagues coming together” when asked if this “party would help him forget all the other No10 parties”. The protests came after the Met, which is investigating at least 12 alleged illegal gatherings at government sites during the coronavirus pandemic, confirmed it would not disclose the names of those fined. Mr Johnson was not among those to be fined, with his spokesman telling reporters: “We said we would let them know if that happened, but our position has not changed.” More than 100 people have been investigated for alleged Covid infringements and it is understood that more fines are likely to follow as Operation Hillman, as it is known, is under investigation. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is one of those being investigated for possible Covid violations. Credit: PA Some people may receive more than one fine, which means that the 20 fines that will be imposed may not necessarily mean that 20 people will be fined. The announcement of the fines marks the first confirmation that the law was violated by individuals in the government, despite repeated insistence from No. 10 that the rules were being followed at all times during the lockdown. The Met said it would refer the fines to the ACRO Criminal Record Office, which would then be responsible for issuing the specified sentences to individuals. June Newbon, who lost her husband to the virus, described the night as “disgusting” in light of the Met’s conclusion that she believed the laws had been broken at the heart of the government. He said that organizing a rich dinner was particularly inappropriate given the cost of living crisis that affects millions of people and the war in Ukraine. “I think it’s disgusting,” he said outside the hotel. “No one else can afford to do that, as prices go up, and so does war.” Ms Newbon and Ellie’s daughter said conservative politicians would be better off attending the candlelight vigil to celebrate the first anniversary of the National Covid Memorial Wall, a planned event near the hotel on Westminster Bridge. Families of the mourners gather to mark the one-year anniversary of the Covid National Monument in London. Credit: PA Hundreds of relatives who died took to the promenade on Tuesday to honor the memory of their loved ones and demand that the mural be made permanent. “I think someone should make their presence known down the bridge today,” Ms Newbon said. “I think that’s the respect they owe us.” The war in Ukraine drove the partygate scandal off the headlines, but control began to reappear as the Met’s investigation progressed. Several lawmakers had sent letters of distrust to the prime minister in a bid to oust him over the partygate scandal, but many said they would wait for investigations to be completed to see if he knowingly lied to Parliament – a charge many lawmakers say they should ends in resignation. Labor says the fines prove the prime minister misled parliament, with repeated party denials taking place on Downing Street, and Covid regulations meant most other people were forced to stay home. Downing Street denied that Mr Johnson had misled the House of Commons when he told lawmakers that the Covid regulations had not been violated at No. 10. “At all times he has shown that he understands the facts,” said a spokesman for the prime minister. The cabinet said it would not be appropriate to comment on the first 20 partygate fines as the police investigation continues. Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick declined to answer questions from ITV News following the announcement of the fines. The British author Paul Bradt was asking about the consequences of the force not starting its investigation earlier, despite the information revealed by journalists who suggest that the laws had been violated long before the police investigation began. ITV News political columnist Robert Peston said the 10 Downing Street fines broadcast was “party-centric” during the pandemic. He said Mr Johnson should make a full disclosure explaining all the facts that led him to tell lawmakers in the Commons that there were no parties and that the rules were not violated. “If a minister knowingly misleads MPs, according to the British conventions they have to resign,” he said. “ Peston added: “This is a very serious day for the Prime Minister, not only because he is still likely to be fined – and there are many MPs who say ‘if he’s fined he should definitely resign’ – but because he has not explained what else was wrong with the House that told its MPs that there were no parties and no rules were violated “. It is understandable that several MPs have withdrawn their letters of reproach amid the Prime Minister’s support for Ukraine against Russia, but more letters are likely to be submitted if Mr Johnson is fined. It takes 54 letters of censure to trigger a vote for Mr Johnson’s leadership, which will lead to new leadership elections if he loses – but fewer than 10 Tory MPs have publicly revealed that they have submitted letters. Labor Vice President Angela Reiner said the fines showed “Boris Johnson’s Downing Street was found guilty of breaking the law” and called on him to resign. She added: “Culture is set from the top. The money stops with the Prime Minister, who spent months lying to the British public, so he has to leave. “It is a shame that while the rest of the country followed their rules, the Boris Johnson government acted as if it did not apply to them. “This was a slap in the face to the millions of people who made enormous sacrifices.” In a statement updated with the partygate investigation, the Meteorological Police said: “We are making every effort to proceed with this investigation quickly and we have completed a series of assessments. “However, due to the significant volume of research material that remains to be assessed, further references to ACRO may be made if the evidentiary limit is met.” He added that according to common practice, “the identities of people treated with caution, speeding fines and other specific penalties – extrajudicial discards – should not be made public or confirmed”. “We will not confirm the number of referrals from each individual incident that is the subject of our investigation, as providing an analysis at this point could lead to the identification of individuals.” The Met began its investigation after receiving evidence of possible crime from civil servant Sue Gray, who was called in to conduct an internal investigation following the removal of a previously appointed investigator, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case. The government has said it will reveal whether a fine will be imposed on Mr Case – who allegedly watched one of the events for a while. The prime minister’s spokesman said he would clarify the situation with Mr Keys, given his “unique position” as the UK’s top civil servant. Fines start at £ 100 for the first offense, increase to £ 200 for the second offense before doubling for each repeated offense before reaching the των 6,400 ceiling. Any person has the right to appeal against his fine, which could see the plaintiff appear in court. A fixed penalty notice is not a criminal conviction, however it can be recorded on the National Police Computer – it is tantamount to a minor speeding offense.
