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       Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak fined over Downing Street lockdown parties

       Boris Johnson has offered a “full apology” and confirmed he paid a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for attending a birthday party in Downing Street on 19 June 2020, but insisted that it “did not occur to me” at the time that he had broken the rules.

       Defending himself against accusations that he misled parliament over parties at No 10, Mr Johnson insisted that he “spoke in good faith” when he repeatedly told the Commons that no Covid rules were broken.

       Speaking at his countryside retreat Chequers, the PM also made clear that he has no intention of resigning after becoming the first sitting UK prime minister ever to be found by police to have broken the law.

       Asked if he will quit, he said more than once: “I believe it is my job to get on and deliver for the people of this country and that’s what I’m going to do.”

       It comes after Mr Johnson, Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, and Carrie Johnson, the PM’s wife, were all issued with FPNs in relation to the same event.

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       Show latest update 1649787074 Truss says Johnson and Sunak have her ‘100% backing'

       Foreign secretary Liz Truss is the latest Cabinet member to have pledged support to the prime minister and chancellor after they were issued fixed penalty notice fines today.

       Tweeting today, she said: “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.”

       Emily Atkinson 12 April 2022 19:11

       1649786453 Watch: Boris Johnson’s repeated Partygate denials and excuses

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       Partygate: Boris Johnson's repeated denials and excuses

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 19:00

       1649786093 Johnson offers ‘full apology’ over fine – but will not quit

       Here’s our political editor Andrew Woodcock with more on Boris Johnson’s “full apology” to the British public.

       PM offers “full apology” as he pays fine for breaking Covid law but will not resign PM said it ‘didn’t occur to me’ that birthday party would breach rules on social distancing

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:54

       1649785570 PM says ‘priority’ is not to resign but to ‘deliver mandate’

       It’s over to reporters for questions, now.

       Asked if he will resign after becoming the first PM found to have broken the law, Johnson says:

       “I have, of course, paid the FPN and I apologise once again for the mistake that I made and, as I said just now, 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 and make sure that we get on with delivering for the people of this country.

       “That is my priority.”

       Reminded by the interviewer that one of the problems he faces is a lack of trust in him, the PM is asked if the fact he broke his own laws diminishes his respect among the public.

       Repeating his first answer, he replies: “I believe it is my job to get on and deliver for the people of this country and that’s what I’m going to do.”

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:46

       1649785181 PM ignores calls to resign, saying he wants to ‘deliver on priorities for Britons’

       Johnson has said that he understands the anger people will feel but amid calls for him to resign, he says this experience has only made him more determined to level up across the UK and ensure Russia’s war on Ukraine does not succeed.

       He says:

       “I understand the anger that many will feel that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules that the government I lead introduced to protect the public and I accept, in all sincerity, that people have the right to expect better.

       “Now I feel an even greater sense of obligation to deliver on the priorities of the British people, strengthening our economy, creating jobs and opportunities, levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom and now, of course, ensuring Putin fails in Ukraine and easing the burden on hard-working families caused by higher energy prices.

       “I will take forward that task with due humility but with maximum determination to fulfil my duty and do what is best for the country I serve. Thanks very much.”

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:39

       1649785031 PM explains movements on day of birthday party in No 10

       Johnson says he is going to explain the events of 19 June 2020, when the gathering took place, “in the spirit of openness and humility”.

       He says his day began at 7am when he chaired eight meetings inside No 10 and visited a school in Hemel Hempstead for four hours, footage of which has been circulated throughout the day.

       He goes on:

       “Amongst all these engagements on a day that happened to be my birthday there was a brief gathering in the cabinet room shortly after 2pm, lasting for less than 10 minutes, during which people I work with kindly passed on their good wishes.

       “I have to say, in all frankness, at that time it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules - but, of course, the police have found otherwise and I fully respect the outcome of their investigation.

       “The prime minister, despite being fined for his actions, still appears to be confused about what - if anything - he did wrong, it would seem from his statement so far.”

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:37

       1649783435 Johnson pays Partygate fine and apologises ‘once again’

       Boris Johnson says he has paid a fixed penalty notice relating to a gathering in the Cabinet Room on his birthday, on 19 June 2020, and offered a “full apology”.

       Speaking from his Chequers residency, the PM says:

       “Today I’ve received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police relating to an event in Downing Street on 19 June 2020.

       “Let me say immediately I have paid the fine and I once again offer a full apology.”

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:10

       1649783312 Dorries claims PM already explained lockdown birthday party which lasted ‘less than 10 minutes’

       Culture secretary Nadine Dorries, who is known to be extremely loyal to Boris Johnson, has taken to Twitter to defend her boss, claiming he has already “been clear about what happened” at his lockdown-busting birthday gethering.

       This despite the PM repeatedly refusing to answer the questions on Parygate “until the investigation is complete”, which it is still not.

       She continued: “It was a brief gathering in the Cabinet Room, less than 10 minutes during a busy working day.”

       This, again, is a disputed point considering previous reports said it lasted between 20 and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Met itself told Mr Johnson he had been found to have attended “a gathering of two or more people” that was some time “between 2pm and 3pm”.

       Other Tory MPs jumping to Mr Johnson’s defence are James Duddridge and Foreign Office minister Amanda Milling:

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 18:08

       1649782744 Carrie Johnson pays fine, issues over PM’s surprise birthday party

       A spokesperson has now confirmed that the PM’s wife, Carrie Johnson, has already paid a fixed penalty notice relating to the surprise gathering for her husband on the afternoon of 19 June 202.

       The official added that Mrs Johnson “apologises unreservedly” for her actions.

       “Whilst she believed that she was acting in accordance with the rules at the time, Mrs Johnson accepts the Metropolitan Police’s findings and apologises unreservedly,” the spokesperson said.

       It is understood Mrs Johnson briefly attended the Cabinet Room with her newborn baby in her arms during her husband’s lunch break alongside some socially distanced staff and that because the fixed penalty notice was settled within 14 days, it was a reduced rate of ￡50.

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 17:59

       1649781950 75% of Britons think PM lied about breaking lockdown rules - poll

       Three-quarters (75 per cent) of Britons think Boris Johnson “knowingly lied” about breaking lockdown rules, while 57 per cent think he should resign, the findings of a new YouGov poll suggest.

       The same amount of British adults surveyed believe Rushi Sunak, the chancellor, should resign, too.

       Read the results below:

       Sam Hancock 12 April 2022 17:45

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