Boris Johnson, the first British prime minister to flout the law, was fined by the Metropolitan Police for violating his own government's COVID lockdown restrictions.
Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie, and the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, are among 30 people who have been fixed penalty letters for "party gate," including celebrating the Prime Minister's birthday in Downing Street during the lockdown nearly two years ago.
The police are still looking into 11 more Downing Street parties and could issue more penalty letters under the Coronavirus regulations, which don't result in a criminal record but can cost anywhere from £100 to £10,000.
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak should quit, according to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, since they have disgraced the public's hard and heartbreaking sacrifices as well as their public office.
"This is the first time in our country's history that a prime minister has been found to be in violation of the law," Sir Keir remarked. Then he lied to the public about it several times. Better is due to the United Kingdom. They must depart."
The public has been outraged in recent months because Downing Street politicians and civil employees have defied the tough conditions that others have had to suffer, such as not seeing dying relatives.
However, the crisis in Ukraine and Mr Johnson's uncompromising stance against Vladimir Putin have re-energized his leadership, and he is anticipated to survive a no-confidence vote.
Mr Johnson claimed that the public had the "right to demand better," and that it never occurred to him that a birthday celebration on June 19, 2020, could have been in violation of the Covid standards.
He said he paid the fee, apologized fully, and stated the infringement was caused by a brief meeting in the Cabinet chamber that lasted less than 10 minutes "during which colleagues I work with politely passed on their good wishes."
Johnson refuses to resign because of a COVID fine
Boris Johnson has refused calls to resign after being revealed to be the first British Prime Minister to break the law while in office.
After he and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were punished by the police for attending a lockdown-breaking birthday party in the cabinet chamber of No 10 on June 19, 2020, Mr Johnson stated late Tuesday that "people had the right to expect better."
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were accused by opposition parties of lying to the public about their participation at the Downing Street gathering, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales calling for their resignations.
The SNP and the Liberal Democrats have also led calls for Parliament to reconvene after the Easter recess so that the Prime Minister and the chancellor can be grilled by MPs.
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak have received public support from nearly all cabinet ministers, including Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who claimed they were "delivering for Britain on many fronts."
Only one Tory MP, Nigel Mills, has publicly stated that Mr Johnson should resign, telling BBC Radio Derby: "I don't think his position is tenable."
Others who asked for his resignation earlier this year, such as Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, now say he should not.
Mr Johnson was "mortified" to be penalised, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who argued that he had not "set out with malice to infringe the law."
"You made the rules. You breached your own law. Just go," Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeted.
Ian Blackford, the SNP's Westminster leader, said the two top Conservatives had "insulted the millions of individuals who faithfully obeyed the rules."
"This is a government in crisis neglecting a country in crisis," said Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.
The first reports of parties being conducted in Downing Street during lockdowns surfaced in December of last year, with Mr Johnson first claiming that "rules were followed at all times."
"I did not attend any parties," Mr Sunak said in the Commons.
The Prime Minister then appointed Sue Gray, a senior civil official, to lead an investigation into the claims of rule-breaking.
Initially, the Met stated that it would not conduct a retroactive investigation into the complaints until "strong proof" of a regulatory violation was shown.
Officers initiated their own investigation when Ms Gray submitted information to them.
Her full report will not be made public until the Metropolitan Police Service has completed its investigation.