“It has now been confirmed that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have each received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police in relation to an event held on 19 June 2020. They have also confirmed shortly after receipt, that the fines have been paid in full.
I can completely understand how angry and upset many people feel about cases of rule makers breaking the rules, and it is absolutely right that those who have been found to have breached Covid regulations have been issued fines following a thorough and independent police investigation.
But I do wish to point out that this event was reported in the Times newspaper, and elsewhere, the day after it took place. It was briefed out to the press in a statement from 10 Downing Street that members of staff organised and held an impromptu gathering for the PM in the Cabinet Office to celebrate his birthday. The “event” is said to have lasted ten minutes.
Although with hindsight it is clear that this event should not have been allowed to take place, I believe this makes it clear that the Prime Minister and his team at No 10 did not believe the event was in breach of Covid regulations and clearly nobody else did at that time. No one reported the event to the police nor escalated it in any other way. It has however, now been established that the letter of the rules were broken. The Prime Minster has apologised and accepts such. However, I do not believe that a mistake that was made almost two years ago, that no one at the time took issue with, should require a change in leadership at this critical time.
Although I clearly appreciate the strength of feeling that has been expressed to me by some, I also believe that the Prime Minister remains the right person to lead us through the very many significant challenges we and the world are facing at present, including the war in Ukraine. He continues to have my full support.”