Boris Johnson’s defiant allies insist he did not break coronavirus rules despite fine

The Prime Minister apologised and declared he would soon ‘set the record straight’ after having previously told MPs that no rules had been broken during Downing Street’s numerous lockdown gatherings.

Yet Mr Johnson this week is expected to press on in defence of the gatherings in the Commons, reiterating that in his view no restrictions were broken while seeking to sweep Partygate under the rug by focusing on the war in Ukraine and the government’s new energy strategy.

A Downing Street source told The Times that Johnson would ‘of course apologise again’ in his statement before MPs tomorrow, but will say ‘we need to continue to focus on the huge priorities we need to deliver for our people,’ in reference to the energy plan and Ukraine.

A close ally of the Prime Minister said that while he accepted ‘mistakes were made’ he would tell MPs there was ‘always an exemption for work and people were working in close proximity in No 10 for very long hours’.

But Mr Johnson’s allies fear the worst is yet to come, with the June 2020 event thought to be the least problematic of those being investigated by police – raising concerns there is a ‘low bar’ that could see him face further fines.

It comes amid further worry that Mr Johnson was pictured drinking at other events being probed, The Sunday Times reports.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is defiant in his position that he did not break coronavirus rules according to his closes allies, despite being slapped with a fine from the Met Police for his involvement in the Partygate scandal
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is defiant in his position that he did not break coronavirus rules according to his closes allies, despite being slapped with a fine from the Met Police for his involvement in the Partygate scandal

Mr Johnson (pictured with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) is expected to press on this week in defence of the gatherings in the Commons, asserting that no rules were broken while seeking to sweep Partygate under the rug by focusing on the war in Ukraine and the government’s new energy strategy