Partygate: Met Police fined over 17,700 people for breaching Covid laws

The Liberal Democrats have called on the Metropolitan Police to investigate the Downing Street Garden Party held in May 2020, after figures revealed the force has fined thousands of people in London for breaches of lockdown rules during the pandemic. Analysis of the latest official figures by the party show that the Metropolitan Police have given out 17,745 Fixed Penalty Notice fines for breaches of various Covid laws between 27th March 2020 and 17th October 2021. These include 113 fines for holding a gathering of over 30 people, more than any other police force in the country. In total, police have issued 118,419 fines for breaking government imposed lockdown rules in England between March 27 2020 and October 17 2021, according to data from the National Police Chiefs Council. This includes around 800 fixed penalty notices issued for breaches of Covid rules in the week of the Downing Street garden party between May 15 and May 21 2020,   Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey warned it would be “double standards of the worst kind” if police failed to investigate claims that over 100 people were invited to a boozy party in the garden of Number 10 during lockdown. This morning he called on Boris Johnson to resign calling him a "threat to the health of our nation."   The police have so far said they are in contact with the government on the party but have not confirmed if an investigation has been launched. It comes after the Liberal Democrats yesterday reported the leaked party email to the Metropolitan Police and urged them to investigate. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “Thousands of Londoners have been fined for flouting lockdown rules during the pandemic. It would be double standards of the worst kind for the police to turn a blind eye when those in Number 10 have done the same.   “Boris Johnson is taking the public, Parliament and police for fools. We must not let him get away with it.   “He has become a threat to health of our nation, and for the sake of the country still gripped by this awful pandemic he must resign.”