Downing Street denied that imposing fines of at least λι 100 was tantamount to proving that Johnson had misled parliament when he told the Commons last December that “all instructions were fully complied with” at No. 10. Stating that the prime minister had “at all times… reported his understanding of the facts”, Mr Johnson’s spokesman said the prime minister would not comment on the outcome of the police investigation until the investigation was completed – possibly in several months. He initially suggested that – except in the case of Mr Johnson himself – the names of those fined and details of any violations would not be made public, even if they were senior members of the prime minister’s team or members of his family. However, he later admitted that No. 10 would reveal whether Cabinet Secretary Simon Case would be issued with a fixed sentence notice. Under constant interrogation, the spokesman refused to accept that the Metropolitan Police’s decision to refer the cases to the Criminal Registry Office amounted to confirmation that the law had been violated, insisting that this was a matter for the police to determine. He confirmed that the Prime Minister has not yet been informed whether he will be fined or summoned for an interview by officials at Operation Hillman. Asked if Mr Johnson would step down if he was found to have broken Covid’s laws, he replied: “This is a hypothetical question.” The Covid-19 Beeaved Families for Justice campaign said it was now “very clear” that “while the British public has responded to the challenge of making huge sacrifices to protect their loved ones and their communities, those at 10 Downing Street have failed”. A spokeswoman for Hannah Brady, whose father Shaun died in Covid at the age of 55, said: “Honestly, the bereaved families have seen enough. The prime minister should have resigned months ago. “By dragging the most, all he does is add more salt to the wounds of those who have already suffered so much.” In a statement, Scotland Yard said it would not disclose the details of the fines, nor details of how many were found guilty of violations in relation to each of the 12 facts under investigation. It is not known whether the 20 cases involve 20 different individuals or whether specific ministers, advisers or officials have committed a series of offenses, which could lead to significantly higher fines. Downing Street said it had not been given the names of those involved and would not be asked to inform their managers that they had been fined. However, officials are obliged to disclose such fines to security control teams, as they constitute a criminal offense, understands The Independent. The broader questions about whether these Partygate fines undermine the honesty and professional integrity of employees should be weighed by Mr Case himself. In some cases, employees may need to disclose predefined sanction alerts for security clearance, depending on their level of leave. The Fair Trials campaign said Downing Street staff were treated differently from the many ordinary people who were “publicly named and shamed” after being found guilty of lockdown violations without the opportunity to offer a questionnaire defense. Asking for a total amnesty and reimbursement of fines, team spokesman Griff Ferris said: “Today’s announcement not only shows that they have treated the public with contempt, but also calls into question the legitimacy of the coronavirus regime.” Labor Vice President Angela Reiner said Mr Johnson should step down now, adding: “Money stops with the prime minister. “After more than two months of police time, 12 parties have been investigated and more than 100 people have been carefully questioned. Boris Johnson’s Downing Street has been found guilty of breaking the law,” Ms. Reiner said. “Culture is at 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. “It was a slap in the face to the millions of people who made enormous sacrifices.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also called on Mr Johnson to leave. “If Boris Johnson thinks he can get away with Partygate by paying expensive lawyers and throwing junior staff at the wolves, he’s wrong,” Davey said. “We all know who is responsible. “The prime minister must resign or the Conservative MPs must fire him.” Dominic Cummings, the ousted former Johnson aide – was asked if he still believed the prime minister would fall this year – to his blog. . “MPs will panic when they see a huge economic scale [omic] horror and that No. 10 has no plan, can do nothing “. However, Conservative lawmakers who have previously called for the prime minister to step down if he is found to have broken Covid rules have not responded to The Independent’s request for comment, with many believing they are awaiting the full release of a Whitehall report. Sue. Gray. And Matt Hancock, who resigned as health minister after being caught in a lockdown violation ring with his mistress, said Mr Johnson should not resign even if he is fined. Prior to his arrest, Mr Hancock had warned of the need to adhere to Covid guidelines, saying: “Every time you try to distort the rules, it could be fatal.” But today he said that in the context of the Ukraine war, the effects of Covid and the cost of living crisis: “My judgment without a doubt is that the best man to lead the country is Boris Johnson, who keeps us safe. . “ Former Chief of Staff Mark Harper has suggested that any employee found guilty of violating the law should resign, writing on Twitter: “Employees and special advisers are bound by the Code of Public Administration, which states that you must comply with the law.” Mr Johnson’s spokesman said disciplinary action could be taken against the findings of Ms Gray’s report, but declined to say whether those fined could continue to work at No. 10. “There are specific human resource procedures for individuals. “I will not go into details about what they entail,” he said. The 12 incidents investigated during Operation Hillman include up to six that Mr Johnson is said to have attended. Last week, it was revealed that detectives investigating alleged locations had begun questioning key witnesses after 100 questionnaires were sent to individuals at the reported rallies. Possible punishments for people found to have attended parties illegally vary depending on the legislation in force at the time. The default fine at the supposed No. 10 rally in the garden in May 2020 was £ 100, but the government then increased the sanctions. At the time of the Downing Street events in November 2020, England was in a national lockdown banning gatherings of two or more people at home, unless there was an exception. By then, the default fine for violating the law had doubled to £ 200 and an unprecedented λι 10,000 fine had been imposed on those responsible for organizing large rallies involving 30 or more attendees. Covid laws changed as different “levels” came into force in December 2020, when a series of alleged Christmas parties and retirement parties took place, but the same program was in place and large social gatherings were banned. In April 2021, when an outing party was held on Downing Street on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, indoor celebrations remained illegal. The default fines were 200 200 for Covid offenses, but a new 800 800 fine was introduced for those attending a party of more than 15 people and organizers of large rallies could be fined ρών 10,000. Announcing the new 800 800 fine in January 2021, Pretty Patel told a news conference that it was necessary because there remained a “small minority refusing to do the right thing”.
