Johnson insists he is focused on job despite partygate fines

Boris Johnson insisted he was getting on with the job of running the country as he faced calls to quit for misleading Parliament over the partygate row.

In his first public comments since the Metropolitan Police concluded that coronavirus laws were broken following an inquiry into lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, Mr Johnson said the “investigators must get on with their job” but “we are going to get on with our job”.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer suggested Mr Johnson should resign for misleading the House by denying the allegations of wrongdoing at the parties during England’s coronavirus lockdowns.

An initial round of 20 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) have been issued as part of Scotland Yard’s investigation into a series of gatherings in 2020 and 2021.

Labour leader Sir Keir said: “He told the House no rules were broken in Downing Street during lockdown. The police have now concluded there was widespread criminality.

“The Ministerial Code says that ministers who knowingly mislead the House should resign. Why is he still here?”

The Prime Minister said: “Of course, the Met, the investigators must get on with their job but in the meantime … we are going to get on with our job.

“That meant tackling the cost of living, addressing the UK’s energy supply and improving education.

“That’s what we’re focusing on and I think that’s what the people in this country want us to focus on.”