Following Sue Gray’s investigation into partygate and subsequent publication of the update on January 31, 2022, the first batch of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) have been issued to those celebrating at Number 10. An initial round of 20 FPNs were handed out as part of Scotland Yard’s investigation into gatherings that took place during lockdown in 2020 and 2021.
Despite his refusal to accept laws were broken as he was questioned on the partygate scandal at the Liaison Committee, Boris Johnson indicated he had not been issued a FPN. Boris Johnson said: “I’m sure you would know if I were. But what I also said repeatedly… I won’t give a running commentary on an investigation that is underway.”
Covid-19 breaches were a country-wide issue, not just one that hit at the very heart of government. In her widely publicised update titled 'Investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during Covid', Sue Gray found failures of leadership and judgement. Writing in her conclusion, she said: “A number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did.”
