Downing Street has refused to say if Boris Johnson will resign if he is fined over lockdown-breaching parties at No 10, after it was revealed that police have recommended penalties in 20 cases.

       Mr Johnson has not yet been informed whether he will receive a fine, his official spokesperson said. But the spokesperson added that No 10 did not know whether the PM was among the 20 cases passed on by the Metropolitan Police to the ACRO Criminal Records Office for penalties to be issued.

       The spokesperson said that the names of those fined will not be passed on by police to Downing Street, and staff will not be required to inform managers if they receive a fixed penalty notice.

       However, they may be required to disclose any breach for security vetting purposes, depending on their level of clearance. And civil service disciplinary action may result from the findings of the separate report carried out by senior Whitehall manager Sue Gray, the spokesperson said.

       The PM’s spokesperson refused to say whether Mr Johnson now accepts the law was broken at No 10. But he denied that today’s Scotland Yard announcement amounted to proof that the PM misled the House of Commons when he told MPs that rules had been followed in Downing Street.

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       “At all times he has set out his understanding of events,” said the spokesperson.

       Asked if Mr Johnson would apologise now police had concluded the law had been broken, the spokesperson said he would have more to say when the investigation was concluded - potentially in several months’ time.

       “The prime minister has apologised to the House already,” the spokesperson said.

       “He has said sorry for the things that we did not get right. He has said sorry for the ways things have been handled and that mistakes have been made.

       “You can expect to hear more from the prime minister when the investigation is concluded and Sue Gray has set out her report.”

       Asked if Mr Johnson would resign if he was found to have broken Covid laws, he replied only: “That is a hypothetical question.”

       He said that No 10 had received no information from the Met on any findings relating to Mr Johnson personally, but confirmed that he has not yet been called for interview.

       The spokesperson declined to say whether individuals who were fined could carry on working in No 10.

       “There are specific HR processes in place for individuals. I am not going get into what those entail in detail.”

       Beyond the Prime Minister, it is not anticipated that the names of those who receive fines over any partygate involvement would be released, even if they were members of Boris Johnson’s family or office, No 10 said.

       The PM’s spokesperson said: “The identities of people dealt with in this way would not be released or confirmed, that’s what the Met themselves have made clear.

       “Obviously recognising the significant public interest in the prime minister we are committed to updating should that occur in his case.”

       But he said this would not apply to others in the PM’s family or his office.

       Asked if Downing Street staff had been asked to tell No 10 if they received a fixed penalty notice, he said: “No, as you know, there is a process here and the Met themselves set that out, obviously a number of officials – not just in Downing Street but beyond – took part in Sue Gray’s investigation where they provided information. But as relates to this specific process, no they would not.”

       The prime minister was among around 100 ministers, advisers and officials who filled in questionnaires relating to their involvement in 12 events in Downing Street and Whitehall which allegedly broke Covid laws.

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       Mr Johnson is facing calls for his resignation from Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, who said he should take responsibility for law-breaking under his watch at No 10.

       Ms Rayner said: “The buck stops with the prime minister.”