It is believed that the capital’s police have begun to impose more fines on Downing Street employees for gatherings held in government offices during the restrictions on blocking Covid.
Scotland Yard is starting to hand out fines for a Christmas party held at number 10 on December 18, 2020, according to The Mirror.
Dozens of Boris Johnson officials are said to have attended the celebration, details of which first surfaced late last year and sparked the Partygate scandal.
Scotland Yard will not confirm whether fines have yet been imposed for the event – held while London was under strict Level 3 measures – but this is one of 12 events the Operation Hillman team is investigating.
Mr Johnson was forced to address the issue of the December 18 holiday after an explosive video leaked showing staff holding a fake press conference and joking about a Christmas party.
This led to the resignation of government aide Allegra Stratton and the announcement of an investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
The report on the new fines comes when the top Tories tried to increase pressure on Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer in connection with the so-called Beergate saga.
A leaked note in the Mail on Sunday shows that the food for home in Durham was planned as part of Sir Care’s route from 8:40 pm to 10:00 pm on the day of the campaign last April, no additional work was planned after dinner.
The only business listed after dinner was for Sir Cair to return to his hotel – he had previously claimed to have “stopped for food” and continued to work after meals, saying that the idea that no one works in 10 o’clock at night is absurd. “
A separate source who attended the event told the Sunday Times: “He did not return to work, as far as I know. The same source said some Labor “were just there for fun”.
A spokesman for Starmer’s office said: “Keir was working, there was food in the kitchen for the house and he was eating to meet his work needs. No rules were broken. “
Culture Secretary Nadine Doris said the note showed “no break in the working meeting”, while Foreign Secretary James Cleverley said: “Starmer said it was an impromptu curry. It turned out that it was planned in advance. “
Deputy Prime Minister Dominique Raab accused Sir Cair of “complete hypocrisy” over the Durham beer, telling Sky News on Sunday: in Durham. ”
But Labor chief Lisa Nandi described Sir Cair as “Mr Rules” on Sunday, saying Tory ministers’ attacks on the Beergate saga were “downright absurd and quite desperate”.
The shadow equalization secretary told the BBC’s Sunday Morning program: “It’s absurd to equate serial coupons, lies and laughter… and a work event that people interrupt to eat.”
She wouldn’t say whether Starmer should resign if he was fined for eating home. “I will not enter into a hypothesis because I do not believe for a moment that he has broken the rules,” said Ms. Nandi.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davy said it would be difficult for Sir Keir to continue as Labor leader if fined. “No politician is above the law,” he told the BBC. “If they receive a notice of a fixed sanction after a police investigation, it is extremely difficult for them to continue.”
Meanwhile, The Mirror reported that Mr Johnson’s deputy chief personal secretary, Stuart Glassborough – pictured with the prime minister in a Christmas quiz on December 15 – resigned last week.
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