Boris Johnson today faces MPs for the first time since he was fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaking Covid laws.
The Prime Minister will address the House of Commons this afternoon, after Parliament returns from the Easter holiday.
It comes after Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were all issued with – and paid – fines for attending a birthday bash held for the Prime Minister in June 2020.
Mr Johnson is understood to have been present at at least six of the 12 events being investigated by the Metropolitan Police for breaking Covid rules, and is braced for more fines potentially to come.
Over the Easter bank holiday there were also fresh allegations that the PM led celebrations at a Downing Street leaving do.
Mr Johnson is reportedly due to issue an apology for breaking Covid laws when he delivers his statement to MPs at around 3.30pm on Tuesday.
According to the Telegraph, he will stop short of going into detail about the gathering for which he was hit with a fixed penalty notice and any other “Partygate” events.
In his statement, Mr Johnson is also set to give an update on Britain’s response to the war in Ukraine, and comment on the government’s energy security strategy, published last week, which aims to make the country less dependent on other states for its oil and gas.
Boris Johnson has been fined for breaching Covid rules
House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle will decide whether or not MPs can vote to refer Mr Johnson for investigation over the Partygate scandal.
They claim he has mislead the Commons, having previously told MPs that “all rules were followed” in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.
Downing Street insists that any previous statements Mr Johnson has given to the Commons were made in good faith.
He and his wife Carrie have both paid their fines
Any vote is likely to fail because it would require a majority of MPs in the Commons to vote for it.
Speaking to broadcasters earlier on Tuesday morning Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said Mr Johnson told MPs “what he believed to be the truth” when he denied there were any law-breaking No 10 parties.
Mr Lewis suggested the PM will grudgingly accept the Metropolitan Police’s conclusion that he broke the law, having “taken the view that a fine should be issued”.
He also claimed it is perfectly possible for the “lawmaker to be a lawbreaker” because former PM Tony Blair is among ministers who have been issued with parking tickets in the past.
