The Metropolitan Police has announced it has concluded its investigation into lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street and across Whitehall.
Fines have been issued for at least eight of the 12 events under investigation.
The names of most of the people fined over coronavirus restriction breaches have not been made public.
However, it was previously confirmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined over a birthday bash in the Cabinet Room on June 19 2020.
The police identified the following events as breaching restrictions:
– May 20 2020: Bring Your Own Booze party:
A leaked email from the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds showed No 10 staff were invited to “bring your own booze” to an event in the Downing Street garden.
Mr Johnson has admitted he was there for 25 minutes, but said he thought it was a “work event” to thank staff for their efforts during the pandemic.
Breach: Regulation 6 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on leaving, or being outside of, the place where you were living without reasonable excuse.
– June 18 2020: Cabinet Office leaving do:
A gathering in the 70 Whitehall building to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
Breach: Regulation 7 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering consisting of two or more people.
– June 19 2020: Boris Johnson’s 56th birthday:
Downing Street has admitted staff “gathered briefly” in the Cabinet Room in what was reportedly a surprise get-together for the Prime Minister organised by his then fiancee (now wife), Carrie Symonds.
The PA news agency was told Lulu Lytle, the interior designer behind lavish renovations of the Downing Street flat, briefly attended while undertaking work in Downing Street.
However, No 10 has denied a report that later the same evening, family and friends were hosted upstairs to the celebrate the occasion.
Breach: Regulation 7 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering consisting of two or more people.
Fines were issued for November 13 2020, on which two events were held, including one in the Downing Street flat the Prime Minister shares with wife Carrie Johnson.
But the Met has not clarified whether a fine was issued over the flat gathering, or whether fines on that day related to the departure of a special adviser in No 10.
– November 13 2020: Downing Street flat do:
Ms Symonds reportedly hosted parties in the official flat over No 11 where she and Mr Johnson live, including one event on November 13, the night of Dominic Cummings’ acrimonious departure.
A spokesman for the PM’s wife has called the claim “total nonsense”.
– November 13 2020: Leaving party for senior aide:
According to reports at the time, Mr Johnson gave a leaving speech for Lee Cain, his departing director of communications and a close ally of Mr Cummings.
Breach: Regulation 8 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 – Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering consisting of two or more people.
Fines were also issued for December 17 2020, on which three events were held, including one in the Cabinet Office.
But the Met has not clarified whether a fine was issued over the Cabinet Office gathering, or whether fines on that day related to Covid taskforce drinks, or the departure of a Downing Street official in No 10.
– December 17 2020: Cabinet Office “Christmas party”:
The Cabinet Secretary Simon Case removed himself from the inquiry into Whitehall parties – to be replaced by Ms Gray – after reports emerged of a gathering in the Cabinet Office.
It was reported the do had been organised by a private secretary in Mr Case’s team, and that it was included in digital calendars as: “Christmas party!” and included an online quiz.
The Cabinet Office said Mr Case played no part in the event, “but walked through the team’s office on the way to his own office”.
– December 17 2020: Leaving drinks for former Covid Taskforce head:
The former director-general of the Government’s Covid Taskforce Kate Josephs said she was “truly sorry” over leaving drinks held in the Cabinet Office.
– December 17 2020: No 10 leaving do:
A leaving do for a departing Downing Street official.
Breach: Paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering in the Tier 3 area consisting of two or more people.
– December 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party:
Officials and advisers reportedly made speeches, enjoyed a cheese board, drank together and exchanged Secret Santa gifts, although the Prime Minister is not thought to have attended.
Mr Johnson’s spokeswoman Allegra Stratton resigned after video emerged of her joking about a “fictional party” at a mock press conference.
Breach: Paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering in the Tier 3 area consisting of two or more people.
– January 14 2021: More Downing Street leaving drinks:
A gathering in No 10 on the departure of two private secretaries.
Breach: Paragraph 3 of Schedule 3A to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020. Restriction on participating in an indoor gathering in the Tier 4 area consisting of two or more people.
The night before the Queen sat alone at the funeral of her husband of almost 70 years in compliance with Covid rules at the time, two leaving dos were held.
Again, the Met Police have not clarified for which event fines were received.
Downing Street later apologised to Buckingham Palace after reported details emerged of the two boozy drinks parties.
– April 16 2021: Leaving drinks for outgoing communications director James Slack.
– April 16 2021: A leaving do for another departing Downing Street official.
Breach: Paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021. Restriction on participating in an outdoor gathering in the Step 2 area consisting of more than six people.
