Former government ethics chief apologises after being fined over Partygate

Ex-deputy cabinet secretary sorry for ‘error’ – as minister claims ‘world has moved on’

The government’s former ethics chief has said she is “sorry for the error of judgement” after being fined as part of a Metropolitan Police investigation into No 10 parties.

Helen MacNamara said she has paid the fine she was handed reportedly in connection with a leaving do held in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 to mark the departure of a private secretary.

In a short statement, the former deputy cabinet secretary said: “I am sorry for the error of judgement I have shown. I have accepted and paid the fixed penalty notice.”

Ms MacNamara was earlier reported to have been among the first wave of people to be dealt a fixed-penalty notice (FPN) by Scotland Yard as part of its probe into 12 government gatherings during Covid restrictions.

It comes as a cabinet minister Simon Hart claimed the “world has moved on” from Partygate, while his colleague Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted Boris Johnson had been given “incorrect” information about social gatherings.

Others officials and aides have been fined for attending a Downing Street leaving drinks held on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral last year, reports indicate, as part of the first “wave” of 20 FPNs.

Fines have been handed to some No 10 staff who joined the 16 April 2021 gathering for former director of communications James Slack by email, according to the BBC.

Mr Hart said on Monday that “of course” the allegations of partying did not sit comfortably with him – but he dismissed calls that Mr Johnson should resign if they were issued with a penalty.

The Welsh secretary said the “vast majority” of his constituents say “they want contrition and they want an apology, but they don’t want a resignation”.

No 10 said the prime minister had not received a fine at this stage – but continued to decline to say whether Mr Johnson believes Covid laws were broken.

His official spokesman said: “The prime minister wants to comment at the conclusion of the process and not at the middle of it.”

Mr Rees-Mogg said on Monday that Mr Johnson had been handed “incorrect” information about the gatherings when he first told the Commons in December that no rules had been broken.

“The prime minister said that he was told the rules were followed, but that turns out not to be correct … the prime minister can only work on the information he is given,” the Brexit opportunities told LBC.

Mr Rees-Mogg also defended his dismissal of Partygate as “fluff” in the context of the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis, saying the fines was “not the most important issue in the world”.

He added: “I don’t think the issue of what may or may not have happened in Downing Street and what we are now finding out is fundamental” – adding that some restrictions imposed during lockdown were “inhuman”.

But Downing Street did not back that view. The PM’s official spokesman said the government had imposed Covid rules “to save both lives and livelihoods, and that was always a balanced judgment”.

Responding to the latest developments, Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson had “misled the public” over parties and presided over “widespread criminality” at No 10 – repeating his claimed that the PM is “unfit for office”.

The Labour leader also called for the names of all senior officials fined to be made public. “We seem to be going through this process where instant by instant, fines are coming out but the public are being left in the dark,” said Starmer.

He added: “The public complied with the rules – they are entitled to know who didn’t comply with the rules and what is going on.”

Sir Keir later said: “The idea that he had no idea what was going on in his home and his office and he only gave answers because he was lied to by his officials is a case he needs to make – I would like to see him make that case because I don’t think he can.”

“He needs to come to parliament to be held to account. He has not only misled the public about this, he has presided over widespread criminality in his home and his office and that is why I am convinced he is unfit for office.”