Boris Johnson fined: Prime minister apologises after receiving fixed penalty notice for lockdown-breaking party

Boris Johnson has apologised after being fined by the Met Police for breaking lockdown rules but said he would not resign.

The prime minister has faced calls to resign after he was fined for attending his own birthday party in the Cabinet room in Downing Street in June 2020.

Mr Johnson said: "I have paid the fine and I once again offer a full apology."

Asked if he would quit, Mr Johnson said: "I want to be able to get on and deliver the mandate that I have, but also to tackle the problems that the country must face right now."

Pressed on whether the fact he had broken his own laws meant that was not possible, he responded: "I believe that it's my job to get on and deliver for the people of this country and that is what I'm going to do."

Discussing his lockdown-breaking birthday party, Mr Johnson said "in all frankness at that time it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules".

After the fine, however, he "now humbly accepts" he did breach COVID-19 laws.

He said he "spoke in completely good faith" when he repeatedly said all guidelines were followed in Downing Street.

Asked if he thought more fines were coming his way, he said the media would be among the first to know.

Read more: Johnson may have weathered the storm for now, but the worst could yet be to come

Chancellor issues apology

Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were all issued with fines for breaking lockdown rules.

They are all understood to have paid £50 each, a reduced rate as the fixed penalty notices were settled within 14 days.

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Mr Sunak offered an "unreserved apology" and signalled he would not resign.

"I understand that for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence. I respect the decision that has been made and have paid the fine," he said.

"I know people sacrificed a great deal during Covid, and they will find this situation upsetting. I deeply regret the frustration and anger caused and I am sorry.

"Like the prime minister, I am focused on delivering for the British people at this challenging time."

The fines are the result of a Metropolitan Police investigation into parties in Downing Street and Whitehall in 2020 and 2021.

Mr Johnson has become the first sitting prime minister to receive a punishment for breaking the law.

Opposition calls for PM to quit

Labour have called for both the prime minister and chancellor to resign.

Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon has also urged them to quit. Her Welsh counterpart Mark Drakeford said the prime minister must go.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and Plaid Cymru called for parliament to be recalled from recess.

Earlier the Met Police disclosed it had now referred more than 50 cases for fixed penalties as a result of the investigation, named Operation Hillman.

PM fined for attending own birthday party

Number 10 confirmed the prime minister was fined for going to his own birthday party.

Read more:
What happens now that Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have been fined?

Read more:
Everything you need to know about the police investigation of partygate

Sky News understands Mr Sunak only answered a police questionnaire in relation to the party.

Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns previously claimed Mr Johnson was "ambushed by a cake" at the event, where up to 30 people gathered and sung Happy Birthday.

Most Britons think PM should resign, poll shows

A YouGov poll has revealed 57% of people think Mr Johnson should resign after being fined, while 30% said he should stay.

The same proportion of the 2,464 adults polled said Mr Sunak should also resign.

Some 75% said they thought Mr Johnson knowingly lied to parliament about whether he broke lockdown rules, with 12% saying he did not.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "This is the first time in the history of our country that a prime minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. Britain deserves better, they have to go."

Cabinet mounts defence

Shortly after Mr Johnson spoke, his Cabinet colleagues began to line up in his defence.

Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, tweeted: "The PM and chancellor deserve our full support. They made the right calls on the big issues and I've seen them work tirelessly for this country.

"Lessons have been learnt and now our focus must be on the huge global challenges we all face."

Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, argued the Tory leader had "been clear about what happened" during the gathering and had "offered a full apology".

"It was a brief gathering in the Cabinet Room, less than 10 minutes during a busy working day," she said.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted: "The prime minister has apologised and taken responsibility for what happened in Downing Street.

"He and the Chancellor are delivering for Britain on many fronts including on the international security crisis we face. They have my 100% backing."