The Met Police are recommending 20 initial Partygate fines – 13 arresting responses
The Partygate saga might have taken a back seat because of the atrocities carried out by Russia, but it has been bubbling away in the background. Here’s a reminder of what the PM said about it.
"All the guidelines were observed"
Boris Johnson says he is satisfied no rules were broken during a party for staff in Downing Street last Decemberhttps://t.co/kPuKQFvdth pic.twitter.com/lxpgg926Lp
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) December 7, 2021
No rules were broken. Got it. Except that the Met Police have been scouring those questionnaires they sent to people who might have been having lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, and this is the latest update.
BREAKING: Met Police confirm they are recommending an initial 20 fixed penalty notices are issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations in Downing Street during lockdown.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) March 29, 2022
Awkward. Here are the initial reactions to the news.
1.
Do the police normally hand out fines and prosecute people after everyone has gone to bed and the last newspaper has been printed?
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 28, 2022
2.
“No rules were broken”
“Followed the guidance”
“Didn’t realise the party I was at was a party”
“Disproportionate fluff” https://t.co/z1e81NlVhi— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) March 29, 2022
3.
"that's fine Mr Johnson, that's fine Mr Sunak.." https://t.co/FC4bgKKvn9
— HappyToast ★ (@IamHappyToast) March 28, 2022
4.
Old enough to remember Allegra Stratton getting fired for joking any parties took place https://t.co/NsIplyjkNU
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) March 29, 2022
5.
"Should I resign? NO! – Why only this morning I received this endorsement from the Met Police saying I'm doing a FINE job!"#Partygate pic.twitter.com/GhIFYJVCoY
— Trumpton (@Trump_ton) March 29, 2022
6.
We’ll want names… but we’ll not want their excuses. https://t.co/5rbVGhnMhP
— Reece Dinsdale (@reece_dinsdale) March 28, 2022
7.
Given 20 fines have now been issued, given Boris Johnson repeatedly claimed "all the guidelines were observed", he either didn't have the faintest clue about laws he was directly responsible for, or he's (once again) a massive liar. https://t.co/226DwbmIjr
— Owen Jones 🌹 (@OwenJones84) March 29, 2022
8.
BREAKING: It has now been established that the Prime Minister misled parliament by insisting the Downing Street parties never took place. This is a breach of the ministerial code and a resignation offence so, of course, Boris Johnson will not be resigning x
— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@BBCLauraKT) March 29, 2022
9.
will you be assigned a tutor to help calculate how many people are in a room at any one time, or if there are more than six outside, and how to read your own rules and tell the truth https://t.co/vXfaU4HJ8p
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) March 29, 2022
10.
The significance of the Met's announcement today should not be underestimated.
At the heart of government, people set very strict Covid rules that we were told would save lives. Then in the same building, they were broken, egregiously enough to merit a fine.
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) March 29, 2022
11.
The trick will be to catch Boris Johnson in the split second between "inappropriate to comment during live police investigation" and "all in the past, time to move on". https://t.co/6yRZp7HiKZ
— Robert Hutton (@RobDotHutton) March 29, 2022
12.
This is the acid test. How many MPs & voters are about to give up on the notion that Prime Ministers cannot lie to Parliament or the people? And how many will understand how much they are surrendering? https://t.co/QpU0vkgmWS
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) March 29, 2022
13.
I get that the police isn't releasing the names of the people fined but could there be a mechanism in which we're allowed to try and guess them, like maybe Wordle but for minor No10 spads
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) March 29, 2022
We’ll leave the last word to Led By Donkeys, who shared this reminder.
They made the rules. Then laughed at us for following them. pic.twitter.com/KdIXnUa1BL
— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) March 29, 2022
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Source Paul Brand Image fungaifoto on Pixabay, Screengrab
