County Durham Labour is calling on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to resign after news broke about them receiving fines for Covid-breaking parties at Downing Street.

Cllr Carl Marshall and Cllr Rob Crute, Leader and Deputy Leader of County Durham Labour Group, said Boris Johnson Rishi Sunak should “break the habit of a lifetime and do the decent thing” after it was confirmed both will be fined for breaking the law. County Durham Labour said the rule-breaking was an insult to people in County Durham who adhered to lockdown measures forbidding gatherings, adding

“How can the nation put any faith or trust in a PM and party that not only broke their own rules, but then repeatedly lied about it”. Cllr Marshall said:

“Boris Johnson, the first sitting Prime Minister in history to have broken the law, is a liar and a criminal. What he and others have been caught doing – let’s not forget the lies as the PM tried to squirm off the hook – is unforgivable. They must go. “The Prime Minister is a criminal in office. Some won’t accept that, but we have a PM who no longer has the authority to ask people to obey the law. He now must break the habit of a lifetime and do the decent thing – resign. “The UK is governed by proven liars and lawbreakers – how far must they drag us down before we say enough is enough?”

Cllr Crute said:

“So many of our residents gave up so much to protect the NHS, themselves and their family and communities. Heartbreakingly, many died alone as the pandemic tore through this country while the government dithered about lockdowns, test and trace and mask mandates. “Now, we get confirmation that the senior tier of Government – the PM and Chancellor, no less – were partying as we locked down, boozing as we watched loved ones fade away via Zoom links and Teams calls. Where do we stand when our lawmakers become lawbreakers? “How can the nation put any faith or trust in a PM and party that not only broke their own rules, but repeatedly lied about it? They have to go and have to go now.”

The Prime Minister, Chancellor and the PM’s wife Carrie Johnson will all be fined by the police for breaking lockdown laws, after received notification from the Met Police that they would be given fixed penalty notices. The force has been investigating a string of gatherings in Whitehall and Downing Street during lockdowns and so far, more than 50 fines have been issued. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Johnson and Sunak must resign, labelling them unfit for office.