Boris Johnson to be fined by police over lockdown violations, parties on U.K. government property

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his finance minister Rishu Sunak will be fined by police over lockdown violations conducted on U.K. government premises, according to a Downing Street spokesperson.

The London Metro Police said that they have issued more than 50 fines as part of their investigation into parties and other gatherings held at Downing Street and Whitehall during the initial phase of strict lockdowns at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The fines are positive confirmation that the prime minister and Sunak violated lockdown laws  despite previous insistences to the contrary. The prime minister's wife, Carrie Johnson, will also be fined. 

The uproar over Johnson's lockdown violations, dubbed "Partygate," created a serious threat to Johnson's role at the head of government. He faced a number of demands to resign, and Tuesday's announcement is sure to prompt a new handful.

"Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must both resign. The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better," tweeted Labour party leader Keir Starmer on Tuesday. 

The call was echoed by London mayor Sadiq Khan. "Families made huge sacrifices and obeyed the law. Many said their last goodbyes to loved ones on the phone while the Prime Minister partied," he wrote on Facebook.