Boris Johnson not fined as police send another round of partygate penalties for Downing Street rule breaches

• Met Police have ordered more than 100 fines for COVID breaches in so-called partygate, the force said.
• The referrals have been made over the last month, but were not announced in the local election campaign period.

Boris Johnson has avoided being handed a further fine, as police issue another round of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for individuals who breached COVID rules in Whitehall and Downing Street.

The number of referrals for partygate fines now stands at more than 100, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement Thursday morning.

"These referrals have continued to be made throughout the period since our last update on Tuesday 12 April and the investigation remains live," the statement added.

Police refused to comment during the run-up to the local elections last Thursday, despite reports that officials had started to receive fines for the infamous BYOB party, organised by Boris Johnson's then-Principal Private Secretary Martin Reynolds.

Johnson has admitted attending the event, telling MPs he "believed implicitly that this was a work event".

But his official spokesman confirmed that neither the prime minister nor Cabinet Secretary Simon Case were among those fined in the latest tranche.

"I don't have any update ... the position (is) we will update you if that were to change," he said.

The Prime Minister has so far received just one fine, alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak, for his brief attendance at a birthday party thrown in his honour during one of England's lockdowns, which included a ban on indoor socializing.

However there are more serious breaches — including an ABBA party alleged to have been thrown in the Downing Street flat. Johnson has admitted to attending the party, but told Tory MPs it was a work event.

There are others, such as the infamous 'suitcase of wine' leaving party, which were held in government buildings but the prime minister did not attend.

Despite his protestations, several backbenchers — including former ministers and ardent Brexiteers — have called on the prime minister to quit.

Thus far Johnson has rebuffed such calls, even as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer vowed to step down if he is fined after Durham police investigate so-called "beergate."