Met Police to issue first set of fines for multiple lockdown-busting bashes held at Downing Street and Whitehall

• The first set of "partygate" fines will be issued by the Metropolitan Police on Tuesday.
• Around 20 fixed penalty notices are expected to be issued for lockdown-busting parties.

The first fines for the lockdown-busting parties held in Whitehall and Downing Street will be issued on Tuesday, the London Metropolitan Police has confirmed.

Around 20 fixed penalty notices will be issued for COVID-19 breaches following the police investigation into so-called partygate. More are expected to follow Tuesday's initial flurry.

The police said in a Tuesday morning statement: "The investigation into allegations of breaches of COVID-19 regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street has now progressed to the point where the first referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPN) will be made to ACRO Criminal Records Office.

"We will today initially begin to refer 20 fixed penalty notices to be issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations. The ACRO Criminal Records Office will then be responsible for issuing the FPNs to the individual following the referrals from the MPS."

The Met Police spokesman stressed that the team was "making every effort to progress this investigation at speed and have completed a number of assessments".

However, he said more work will be undertaken to assess the "significant amount of investigative material that remains", which could result in further fines being issued.

The force has issued more than 100 questionnaires about the possible breaches of COVID-19 regulations, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, with the Met formally investigating 12 events, including three that Johnson attended.

According to a leaked copy of the generic questionnaire, which was published by ITV News, recipients were informed at the outset that they have an opportunity to provide "a written statement under caution".

The police would not confirm the names or numbers of people receiving fines. However, Johnson is not expected to be among the initial set of fines issued, as the prime minister has denied any wrongdoing.

Downing Street previously said it would confirm if the prime minister has received a fine, which could see a return to the leadership challenge that has been driven underground since the start of the invasion of Ukraine.

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, said: "After over two months of police time, twelve parties investigated and over a hundred people questioned under caution, Boris Johnson's Downing Street has been found guilty of breaking the law.

"The culture is set from the very top. The buck stops with the Prime Minister, who spent months lying to the British public, which is why he has got to go."

Asked whether Johnson should resign if he receives a fine Will Quince, an education minister, told Sky News: "There is an ongoing, live, Metropolitan Police investigation – it is just not appropriate for me to comment."

Pressed on when the Sue Gray report will be published, Quince said: "The prime minister has been clear that as soon as the Metropolitan Police have concluded their investigation, Sue Gray's report was handed to the goverment will be published.

"The prime minister also said he would make a full statement to the House as well."