Despite being fined by police for breaking lockdown rules in Downing Street in June 2020, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have refused to resign.
For attending a birthday celebration for the prime minister in No 10, the prime minister, the chancellor, and the PM’s wife all received fixed penalty notices. As a result, Mr Johnson became the first serving prime minister of the United Kingdom to face legal action for breaking the law.
All three apologized, but opposition lawmakers say the Prime Minister and Mr Sunak should resign. The chancellor said he was “an even greater sense of obligation to deliver” while Mr Johnson said he felt “focused on delivering for the British people”
The Scottish first minister and SNP leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has also called for the prime minister to resign. She stated, “Boris Johnson must resign.” “He broke the law and lied to parliament about it on multiple occasions.” He must resign because the basic values of integrity and decency, which are essential to the proper functioning of any parliamentary democracy, demand it. He should also bring his out-of-touch chancellor.”
The fines are the result of a Metropolitan Police investigation into illegal parties held in Downing Street and across Whitehall during Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. The force is investigating 12 parties in total and has already issued over 50 fines, with more on the way.
A group representing bereaved families, on the other hand, said there was “simply no way” either of them could continue working, describing their actions as “truly shameless”
Amanda McEgan, whose daughter Isabel died during the pandemic, said the prime minister’s behavior during the lockdowns made the restrictions on Isabel’s funeral “more hurtful”
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were accused by opposition parties of lying to the public about their attendance at the Downing Street gathering, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales calling for their resignations.
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak have received public support from nearly all cabinet ministers, including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who said they were “delivering for Britain on many fronts”
Only one Tory MP, Nigel Mills, has publicly stated that Mr Johnson should resign, telling BBC Radio Derby: “I don’t think his position is tenable” Others who called for his resignation earlier this year, such as Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, now say he should not.
Mr Johnson was “mortified” to be fined, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who argued that he had not “set out with malice to break the law”
He told BBC Breakfast that he understands the public’s dissatisfaction with the parties, but added: “Everyone is a human being. People make errors “..