Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step down after he was fined by police for breaching Covid rules.
A Number 10 spokeswoman has confirmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are to be given Fixed Penalty Notices over lockdown parties in Downing Street after it was revealed that more than 50 fines are set to be issued following allegations of illegal gatherings at a time when restrictions were in place.
The First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has said that he "can't see" how Mr Johnson can carry on. Mr Drakeford said: "You can’t be a law-maker and a law-breaker. The Prime Minister has denied time and again that he did anything wrong. He has clearly broken the laws he made and asked people to follow. People are angry and upset. I don’t see how someone in this position can carry on."
Read more: Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to be fined over lockdown parties in Downing Street
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on both the Prime Minister and Chancellor to resign. Sir Keir said: “Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must both resign. The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better.”
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy joined calls for the Prime Minister and Chancellor to resign. He tweeted: “Criminality and lies at the heart of government. Led by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak must resign now for breaking the laws they enforced on us all.”
Despite initially wanting a four nation approach to Covid Mark Drakeford has become increasingly critical of Boris Johnson since the crisis began. He called the Prime Minister "awful" during an S4C documentary released last year as well as repeatedly calling out Mr Johnson for not communicating with him directly for months at the height of the pandemic.
Lobby Akinnola, spokesman for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak “broke the law” and “took us all for mugs”. He said: “There is simply no way either the Prime Minister or Chancellor can continue. Their dishonesty has caused untold hurt to the bereaved. Not only that, but they have lost all credibility with the wider public, which could cost lives if new variants mean restrictions are needed in the future. If they had any decency they would be gone by tonight.”
The Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, has been notified that she will receive a fixed penalty notice following allegations of lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, a spokesperson for Mrs Johnson has said.
Mrs Johnson’s spokesperson said: “In the interests of transparency, Mrs Johnson can confirm she has been notified that she will receive a fixed-penalty notice. She has not yet received any further details about the nature of the FPN.”
