Met Police hands out more than 50 fines as Partygate investigation progresses 'at speed'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Police have handed out dozens of further fines as the investigation into 'partygate' continues. Scotland Yard said officers have now made more than 50 referrals for fixed penalty notices to the ACRO Criminal Records Office over breaches of Covid-19 regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street.

It comes after reports last week that people who attended a leaving party for a senior official who helped shape the government’s response to the pandemic are among those handed fines.

The Daily Telegraph reported that fines have been issued to attendees of a drinks event held for Kate Josephs in the Cabinet Office on December 17 2020 - at a time when London was under Tier 3 restrictions and indoor socialising was banned.

The Met Police has previously said that the identities of people issued with FPNs will not be disclosed. However, Downing Street has said it will confirm if either Boris Johnson or Cabinet Secretary Simon Case are handed a fine. READ MORE: 'We felt cheated': MP confronted by voters 'disappointed' by defection to Labour In a statement today, the Met Police said: “The investigation into allegations of breaches of Covid-19 regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street continues to progress.