UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has not yet been issued with a fine over a No 10 lockdown drinks party, amid reports the police have started dishing out fixed-penalty notices in relation to the event.
According to reports, fine notices have started landing in the email inboxes of officials who attended a "bring your own bottle" Downing Street garden party on May 20, 2020, during England's first Covid-19 lockdown.
The Metropolitan Police said they would not be giving an update on fixed-penalty notices (FPNs) before the local elections next month but a Downing Street source told PA Mr Johnson had not received a fine.
Mr Johnson previously apologised for attending the party for around 25 minutes, but has insisted he believed it to be a work event to thank staff for their efforts during the pandemic and therefore not a breach of social distancing rules.
It comes as a Conservative peer and polling expert said a confidence vote in Mr Johnson's leadership has become inevitable as the prospect of further lockdown party fines hangs over the prime minister.
There have been growing calls from the Conservative benches for Mr Johnson to resign, having already been issued with one fine by Scotland Yard in relation to his own birthday bash in June 2020. Mr Johnson apologised but refused to resign.
He is said to have been present at half of the 12 possible rule-breaking incidents being looked into by police.
Former MP Lord Hayward told the BBC on Friday it is "a matter of when, not if" the prime minister faces a no confidence vote from his own MPs as pressure continues to mount.
Boris Johnson will be subject to a third investigation over partygate after MPs on Thursday agreed to refer him for an investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament when denying Covid-19 rules were broken in No 10.
There has already been a review by senior civil servant Sue Gray into the allegations of coronavirus law breaches at the heart of government and the police's Operation Hillman inquiry is continuing.
Lord Hayward said the result of the three probes would amount to "death by a thousand cuts".
"What clearly the Conservative Party, not just the MPs but particularly the MPs, are seeing is they don't want that and they are moving more towards a position where this matter has to be resolved," he said.
"I expect there to be a challenge to his leadership in one form or another."
Duncan Baker, Tory MP for North Norfolk, said he had not considered the birthday party FPN to be a resignation matter but indicated more fines could change that view.
"If there are multiple fixed-penalty notices, clearly that is going to make pressure much, much greater," he told BBC Radio 4's PM programme.
Partygate 'done and dusted', says defence minister
But Defence Minister Leo Docherty said partygate was "done and dusted" given Mr Johnson had apologised after receiving an FPN earlier this month.
"People I think are sick of it and want us to move on," he told the PA news agency at the Invictus Games in The Hague.
It comes after a row broke out between the PM's allies and critics over his future.
Senior backbencher Tobias Ellwood said there had been "a huge breach of trust" with the British people as he called on Tory colleagues to force a change of leader.
But that drew a furious accusation of disloyalty from Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns who said there was "no question" of the prime minister stepping down.
The row overshadowed Mr Johnson's much-trumpeted visit to India for trade talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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The two leaders shake hands before meeting to discuss free trade deals and enhanced security co-operation. AFP -
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi bond before their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. AFP -
Narendra Modi arrives to address a joint press briefing with his Boris Johnson at Hyderabad House. Reuters -
Boris Johnson is on a two-day visit to India. Getty Images -
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a joint statement with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson after an exchange of agreements in New Delhi. EPA -
Boris Johnson makes his point after talks with Narendra Modi focused on economic and political ties between Britain and India. EPA -
Boris Johnson and Narendra Modi agreed on a new security deal in India. EPA -
Boris Johnson visits Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Raj Ghat in New Delhi. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson pays his respects at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial. Getty Images -
The British prime minister lays a wreath at the memorial in Raj Ghat. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson inspects a guard of honour during a ceremonial reception at presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson introduces his dignitaries to Narendra Modi. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson and Narendra Modi discussed new collaborations on defence and green energy, with the UK leader seeking to reduce India's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and military equipment. Getty Images -
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson inspects a joint military guard of honour at the Indian presidential palace in New Delhi. AP Photo -
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at Sarda Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson is shown how to operate a spinning wheel at the Sabarmati Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmedabad. Getty Images -
Boris Johnson garlands a bust of Mahatma Gandhi on the first day of his official trip to India. Getty Images -
The British prime minister browses a book during his visit to the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. AFP -
Boris Johnson is shown a painting of Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad. AFP -
Boris Johnson signs a visitors' book at the Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad. AFP -
Boris Johnson receives a book from the chief minister of India's Gujarat state Bhupendra Patel. PA -
Boris Johnson boards an Indian military Chinook helicopter for a flight to the new JCB factory at Vadodara in India's Gujarat state. Reuters -
Boris Johnson waves from a digger at JCB's new factory in Vadodara, Gujarat, during his two-day trip to India. PA -
Boris Johnson meets workers at the JCB factory in Vadodara. AP
At a closing press conference in New Delhi, Mr Johnson largely sidestepped questions about the issue, although he insisted he will still be in office by Diwali in October, which he has set as the target date for a trade deal with India.
The Metropolitan Police announced on Thursday it will not provide further updates on partygate fines until after May's local elections, a comment the force reiterated when asked on Friday about whether fines had been issued in relation to the BYOB party.
Downing Street, however, has stated it will still declare whether the prime minister receives further fines in the lead up to polling day on May 5.
A Met spokesman said on Thursday: "While the investigation will continue during the pre-election period, due to the restrictions around communicating before the May local elections we will not provide further updates until after May 5."
