PM & Chancellor To Recieve Penalty Notices From Police For Lockdown Breaches

10 Downing Street confirms that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak will both recieve fixed penalty notices for breaching restrictions during periods of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in 2020: “The PM and Chancellor have today received notification that the Metropolitan police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices."

• The issuance of a fixed penalty notice is not a fine or a criminal conviction, meaning there will be no obligation on either Johnson or Sunak to resign.
• However, following the revelations of parties at No.10 during lockdown, the PM stated to the House of Commons that “The guidance and the rules were followed at all times”. If this is found to have been an instance of deliberately misleading the House it could be deemed a contempt of parliament, which can lead to members being suspended or expelled.
• The serving of FPNs to Johnson and Sunak does not mean either man will be forced to resign, but it could do more reputational damage just ahead of the 5 May local council elections in England and at a time when Sunak is already under pressure following revelations about his wife's 'non-dom' tax status.