Boris Johnson’s position ‘untenable’ if he is fined over Partygate, says Angela Rayner

Government minister refuses to say if prime minister should quit if found guilty of lockdown breach

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a press conference at Downing Street in London (Alberto Pezzali/PA) (PA Wire)

Boris Johnson should resign as prime minister if he is fined over lockdown-breaching parties at 10 Downing Street, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has said.

Ms Rayner told Sky News that the position of Mr Johnson and ministers including chancellor Rishi Sunak would be "untenable" if the Metropolitan Police inquiry concludes they broke the rules they set for other Britons.

Her call comes weeks after leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back away from his demand for the PM's resignation, saying that it was important the country showed "unity" during the Ukraine invasion crisis.

The first fixed penalty notices from the Met's Operation Hillman inquiry are expected to be issued today, with as many as 20 individuals thought to be facing fines of £100.

Government minister Will Quince today refused to say whether the PM should quit if he is among those fined.

The children's minister told Sky News: "I understand the huge public interest, I completely understand that considerable upset because the events that took place shouldn't have happened."

But asked if the PM should resign if found guilty, he replied: "As there's an ongoing live Metropolitan Police question, it's just not appropriate that I comment. That's a hypothetical quesiton, you wouldn't expect me to answer that."

Asked later if Mr Johnson should resign if fined, Ms Rayner replied simply: "Yes."

The Labour deputy leader told Sky News: "They were the rules the prime minister made everyone follow. People couldn't see their loved ones when they were dying.

"If the prime minister's fined because he's broken his own rules, I think his position is untenable.

"I don't think he can go to the British public and say 'I'm acting in your interest' when he's been laughing, joking and having parties and then tried to lie about it."

Ms Rayner said that cross-party unity over the Ukraine crisis "doesn't negate" questions over the prime minister's behaviour.

Describing the allegations against Mr Johnson as "disgraceful", she said: "The country has to have confidence in our prime minister in doing the right thing and putting the British public and our interests and our security first."

The Met is investigating 12 events, including as many as six which Mr Johnson is said to have attended.

Last week it emerged that detectives investigating alleged parties had begun interviewing key witnesses.

The Metropolitan Police said more than 100 questionnaires had been sent out to people at the reported gatherings.

They include a “bring your own booze” event, details of which were emailed to staff at No 10 by the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds in May 2020, and a surprise get-together for Mr Johnson’s birthday in June 2020.