London (TIP): Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his finance minister Rishi Sunak are to receive fines for breaching strict coronavirus lockdown rules, the government said on April 12, prompting calls for them both to resign. Police have been investigating 12 gatherings at Johnson’s Downing Street office and the Cabinet Office after a damning internal inquiry found his staff had enjoyed alcohol-fuelled parties that should not have been allowed.

Johnson said he had attended a few of the events, but has always denied knowingly committing any wrongdoing.

“The prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have today received notification that the Metropolitan Police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices,” a government spokesperson said.

“We have no further details, but we will update you again when we do.”

A spokesperson for Johnson’s wife Carrie said she would also be fined.

Some of the gatherings took place when people could not attend funerals or say farewell to loved ones dying in hospital because they were following rules set by Johnson’s government.

After the events were first reported in late 2021, Johnson said there were no parties and that all rules were followed.

He later apologised to parliament for attending one event, which he said he thought was work-related and also said sorry to Queen Elizabeth for another at which staff partied on the eve of her husband’s funeral.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group said it was “still unbelievably painful” that Johnson had broken his own rules when they were unable to be with loved ones as they died.

“The fact that @BorisJohnson and @RishiSunak then lied about it, and would have continued to do so if the police hadn’t intervened, is truly shameless,” the group said on Twitter. “There is simply no way either the Prime Minister or Chancellor can continue. Their dishonesty has caused untold hurt to the bereaved.”

Opponents also called for Johnson and Sunak to quit, saying they had misled parliament about their actions.

“Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must both resign,” said KeirStarmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party.

The Liberal Democrats called for parliament to be recalled immediately from its Easter holiday and for there to be a vote of no-confidence in Johnson.

However, the prime minister’s immediate future will be determined by lawmakers in his own Conservative Party, who can trigger a leadership challenge if 54 of the 360 who sit in parliament demand a confidence vote.

Earlier this year a number of Conservatives called for him to quit as public trust plummeted over the “partygate” affair and support for the government shrank.  (Reuters)