The Metropolitan Police said that to date they had made more than 50 referrals to the ACRO criminal records office – which is responsible for issuing the prescribed sentences – for violations of COVID-19 regulations. Last month, the Met said it had referred 20 such cases to be fined as part of Operation Hillman, which covers the 2020 and 2021 events. Understandably, across the country there have been few examples of more lockout fines issued than at any single address. The Liberal Democrats said the briefing revealed “the shocking scale of Boris Johnson’s No. 10 crime,” while Labor leader Sir Kir Starmer said he was “pulling the prime minister’s defense out of the water.” Downing Street said it would make public whether Boris Johnson or Cabinet Secretary Simon Keys was punished, but so far there have been no such reports. The Prime Minister, as well as Chancellor Rishi Sunak, were among 100 people who were sent official legal questionnaires about the investigation. The Met said: “We are making every effort to expedite this investigation. “This includes continuing to evaluate significant amounts of research material from which further references to ACRO can be made.” Johnson refused to admit when he was pressured by lawmakers that the fines meant crime had taken place on Downing Street, although two of his ministers, Dominic Raab and Ann-Marie Trevelian, admitted the rules had been broken. . Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Police have now completely disproved Johnson’s allegations that no law has been violated. “No one can trust him and he can not continue as prime minister. “No other leader in any other organization would be allowed to continue after breaking the law on this scale. “If Boris Johnson does not resign, the Conservative MPs must show him the door.” Sir Keir Starmer said of the Prime Minister: “He told the country, he told the parliament, that all the rules were followed on Downing Street where he lives and works, and now it is obvious that there was widespread crime. “So I’m afraid he puts into even greater doubt the sincerity and integrity of the prime minister who stood up and said nothing was going to happen. “Obviously this was wrong and it reflects very badly on the prime minister.” Matt Fowler, co-founder of the COVID-19 Beeaved Families for Justice campaign team, also called on Johnson to resign. He said: “It is now indisputable that while the families of the mourners could not be by the side of their loved ones in their last moments or stand alone at their funerals, the people in charge of protecting us at Downing St were partying and massively violated. the rules. “ Police said they would not identify those who would be fined. However, Helen MacNamara, the former head of government ethics, has publicly apologized for the sentencing – which involved a retirement party held at the Cabinet Office on June 18, 2020. The first batch of fines is believed to be related to that rally as well as to events on Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April last year. Johnson has faced allegations that he violated the ministerial code after initially telling parliament that no party rules had been violated. The prime minister told the Communities Liaison Committee last month: “I did my best to be as clear as I could about the facts.”
