Brexit Opportunity Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg defended Johnson on Monday after it emerged that Downing Street staff had been fined for a No. 10 party the night before Queen Elizabeth sat alone at his funeral. of her husband, Prince Philip, compliance with the coronavirus restrictions in force at the time. Whitehall officials confirmed that some of those who attended the party on April 16, 2021 had received notifications of fixed penalties. Metropolitan Police are investigating at least 12 rallies in Whitehall in 2020 and 2021 when Covid-19 restrictions were in place in England, including several at 10 Downing Street. Last week, 20 fixed penalty notices were issued for violations of Covid regulations, but police said they would not name those who had received them. Johnson said last year about the rallies that “the [Covid] the instructions were followed at all times “, but the Metropolitan Police concluded that there had been violations of the regulations in the” partygate “scandal. Labor leader Sir Kir Starmer has accused Johnson of misleading the Communities. Speaking last week, he said the prime minister had violated the ministerial code, which says members of the government misleading the Commons should resign. But Rees-Mogg told LBC Radio on Monday that “the fact that the prime minister received the wrong information does not mean that he misled the world.” “The prime minister said he was told the rules had been followed, but that proved to be wrong. “If the prime minister receives information that is incorrect and transmits it, he has not made a deliberate attempt to mislead anyone,” he said. Queen Elizabeth sits alone during the funeral of Prince Philip at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 © Jonathan Brady / Pool / AFP / Getty Images Whitehall officials confirmed Monday that Helen MacNamara, the former director of ethics at the cabinet office, was in the first installment of those notices last week. It is understood that the notice concerns a retirement party held at the Council of Ministers in June 2020. In a statement, MacNamara said: “I’m sorry for the misjudgment I made. I have accepted and paid the fixed penalty notice. “ On Monday, it emerged that fines were also imposed on those who participated in Number 10 the night before the funeral of Prince Philip. About 30 people attended the two departure parties which were later combined into one, with the staff dancing until the early hours of the morning. The next morning the queen was pictured sitting alone during the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, which was attended by just 30 family members to comply with the coronavirus restrictions.

Downing Street declined to comment on the latest revelations and said Johnson would make an official statement after the police investigation was completed. “The prime minister wants to comment on the completion of the process and not in the middle of it,” said the prime minister’s spokesman. Rees-Mogg, who described the “partygate scandal” as “fluff” at a Conservative party spring conference last month, sought to downplay the controversy. “We have a war going on in Ukraine, we have atrocities being committed, we have photographs showing the enormous barbarity of Putin’s army,” he said. “In the light of what is happening, not only in Ukraine but also in the cost of living crisis, this is not the most important issue in the world. That said, people obviously have to obey the law. “ Asked if the prime minister should resign if fined by the Met, Simon Hart, Wales’ secretary general, said voters wanted an apology but no resignations. He added that it would not be “appropriate” to take part in a “six-week self-immolation leadership contest” in light of the situation in Ukraine. “People have come a long way,” he said.