Boris Johnson was fined for party gate scandals by London’s Metropolitan Police for the gathering held on June 19, 2020. Mr. Johnson and his team gathered in No. 10 Downing Street to celebrate his birthday which at that time broke the rules. COVID restrictions at that time do not allow any indoor gatherings and outdoor gatherings are limited to 6 people. Mr. Johnson’s party had 30 guests.
This became a hot topic for quite some time as parties held in Downing Street were against the COVID restrictions. Civil Servant Sue Gray investigated the matter but the report was not fully publicized until the police concluded their independent investigation.
This is the first time in Britain’s history that a PM was fined while he is in office.
Mr. Johnson continuously said that all measures were followed and that no rules were knowingly broken. Evidence that surfaced at that time suggests otherwise as senior aides advised him of the regulations.
Many parties were reported however one struck the most. On the eve of Prince Phillip’s funeral, Queen Elizabeth sat alone in the chapel as she paid her respects to her husband. The Royal Family followed the social distancing rules for gathering as well as the limit on the attendees. In the meantime, No. 10 Downing Street held a party at the same time as the funeral where there were no social distancing measures, alcohol was involved, and many attended the gathering.
Many citizens also expressed their frustration as at the height of the pandemic, they could not hold proper funerals for their loved ones, and yet the PM and his staff were out and about partying. Many were disappointed with his behavior saying it was “disrespectful”.