A Tory MP is under fire after claiming teachers and NHS staff broke the law like Boris Johnson by having “a quiet drink” at the end of their shifts while it was illegal.
Michael Fabricant sparked fury with his defence of Boris Johnson after the Prime Minister, his wife and Rishi Sunak were fined for partygate on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister has paid a fine in relation to the gathering in the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020, to mark his 56th birthday - as it was a violation of coronavirus rules.
The Lichfield MP said he thought that Mr Johnson would have to come to the Commons on Tuesday, when parliament returns after the Easter holiday, to apologise.
He went on to say: "Having said that, I don’t think that at any time [Johnson] thought that he was breaking the law.
"I think that at the time he thought, just like many teachers and nurses who after a very, very long shift would tend to go back to the staff room and have a quiet drink - which is more or less what he has done."
Mr Fabricant added: "But I don’t think he thought he was breaking the law. But of course that doesn’t make any sort of excuse."
The comments have prompted backlash from The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which has called the remarks “factually incorrect”.
Writing to Mr Johnson, Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, said: "We remain at the forefront of pandemic response. Despite political narrative, as health and care professionals we know the Covid-19 context is nowhere near over.
“While you position yourself with some authority as to the behaviour and actions of nurses during the pandemic, I'd like to inform you of the following facts.
"Throughout the pandemic - and still certainly, now - most days, nurses and nursing support workers, when finally finishing a number of unpaid hours well past shift end, will get home, clean their uniforms, shower and collapse into bed.
"Throughout the early pandemic, this was often alone, for the protection of others - kept away from family, friends and support networks. These shifts - in communities, in hospitals, anywhere people are - are long, unrelenting, understaffed and intense.
"At the end of one of the many hours, days and years we have worked, since recognition of the pandemic, I can assure you that none of us have sought to hang out and 'have a quiet one in the staff room.'
"There isn't a site in England that would allow alcohol on the premises for any professional to consume during working hours.
"As frontline professionals, still dealing with the implications of the pandemic - understaffed, underpaid, overworked, exhausted, burnt out and still holding it together while doing the best we can for our patients.
"It is utterly demoralising - and factually incorrect - to hear you suggest that our diligent, safety critical profession can reasonably be compared to any elected official breaking the law, at any time."
Speaking of the June 19 incident, the Prime Minister said it initially "did not occur" to him that the gathering in the Cabinet Room to mark his 56th birthday was a violation of coronavirus rules.
He described it as an occasion for "people I work with" to pass on their good wishes - and said he didn't realise at the time that the party broke the rules.
However, he said that after being issued with a fine as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged parties at the heart of the Government during the pandemic he "now humbly accepts" he did breach Covid-19 laws.
Scotland Yard, according to a statement published by No 10, said Mr Johnson had been fined because "on June 19 2020 at the Cabinet Room.... between 1400 and 1500" he had been part of "a gathering of two or more people indoors", which was banned at the time.
The Prime Minister, speaking to broadcasters at Chequers, said he "fully respects" the outcome of the police investigation and that he accepted "in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better" from him.
However he dodged questions over whether he would resign, instead insisting he wanted to get on with the job.
This was echoed by Mr Sunak.
Labour has joined the chorus of demands for the Commons to be recalled from its two-week Easter break and allow Mr Johnson to "tender his resignation" in person to MPs.
It comes as a snap YouGov poll of 2,460 adults taken on Tuesday found that 57% of people think the Prime Minister should go, with the same proportion thinking the same about the Chancellor.
