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The Metropolitan police has issued one other 50 fines to authorities officers as a part of its inquiry into coronavirus rule-breaking in Downing Road and Whitehall in the course of the pandemic.
London’s police pressure is investigating a dozen gatherings that came about in Westminster between 2020 and 2021 when Covid restrictions had been in place, together with 10 occasions at Downing Road.
The pressure has thus far issued greater than 100 referrals for fixed-penalty notices for the reason that investigation into the “partygate” scandal started in January, together with to the prime minister Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak.
“These referrals have continued to be made all through the interval since our final replace on Tuesday 12 April and the investigation stays dwell,” the Met mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
Johnson, his spouse Carrie, and Sunak had been final month fined £50 every for attending an unlawful birthday celebration held at Downing Road in June 2020. On Thursday, Downing Road mentioned the prime minister had acquired no additional fines, including that an announcement can be made if a discover was issued.
Cupboard secretary Simon Case, who additionally acquired a questionnaire from the Met in relation to a number of gatherings in Downing Road and Whitehall he’s alleged to have attended, didn’t obtain a high-quality within the newest tranche.
In response to the fines, Liberal Democrat chief Ed Davey identified that Johnson had beforehand informed parliament: “Covid guidelines had been adopted in Quantity 10 always.”
“Now 100 fines have been issued by the police over partygate. It reveals the stunning scale of the lawbreaking in Johnson’s Downing Road and the extent of his lies,” he mentioned.
Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda, mentioned that the fines confirmed that Downing Road was “essentially the most lawbreaking office in Britain by a rustic mile”.
Allies of the prime minister are involved that if he’s fined once more, he’ll face a no-confidence vote on his place by Conservative MPs. One Tory MP mentioned: “Boris is assured that he gained’t be fined once more, however nobody actually is aware of. If he’s, issues will get very tough.”
The Met beforehand mentioned that additional fines can be handed out “if the evidential threshold is made”, whereas highlighting the “vital quantity of investigative materials” that wanted to be reviewed, together with greater than 300 pictures.
The police mentioned: “We’re making each effort to progress this investigation at pace and have accomplished quite a few assessments.”
After the Met finishes its investigation, Johnson should cope with the publication of an inside Whitehall inquiry into partygate by Sue Grey, a senior civil servant, which is ongoing.
These with information of Grey’s findings mentioned her report would in all probability be “very damning” and will trigger extra political issues for Johnson. “It’s going to be fairly brutal,” one civil servant mentioned.
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