LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson was told on Tuesday that he would receive a fine for breaking lockdown rules at Downing Street, making him the first holder of his office to be found breaking the law in living memory.
In a statement London’s Metropolitan Police said it had identified at least 50 breaches of the law as part of its inquiry into the “partygate” scandal that has dealt severe damage to Mr. Johnson.
Though the police did not name any of those fined, Downing Street later said that Mr. Johnson and the chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, had both been told they will receive fixed penalty notices for breaking the law.
In its statement, the Metropolitan Police said that the inquiry into allegations of breaches of Covid lockdown rules in Whitehall and Downing Street “continues to progress,” and that, as of Tuesday, it had made “over 50 referrals for fixed penalty notices,” the process for levying a fine without a court appearance.
“The prime minister and the chancellor of the Exchequer have today received notification that the Metropolitan Police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices,” Downing Street said in a statement.
