Britain’s prime minister and finance minister will have to pay fines for attending parties and violating the country’s pandemic lockdown rules, the government said Tuesday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak have been under investigation for 12 parties at both No. 10 Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, some of which were attended by the ministers and their staff.
"The prime minister and chancellor of the exchequer have today received notification that the metropolitan police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices," a government spokesperson said.
Police said some 50 people would face fines or other penalties over the parties.
The political opposition in Britain has called for Johnson’s resignation over the scandal.
Johnson apologized over one incident saying he thought it was a work event.
The parties were held during 2020 and 2021, according to news reports.
One event, captured in a photo published by the BBC, shows Johnson and others gathered at the No. 10 Downing Street garden drinking wine in May 2020 when other citizens were not allowed to leave their homes without a reason, and outdoor gatherings were limited to two for exercise.
Some information in this report comes from Reuters.