UK police end Downing Street party inquiry, 126 fines issued
May 19, 2022, 12:36 pm

UK police end Downing Street party inquiry, 126 fines issued

Boris Johnson with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at Johnson's residence in Downing Stree/Official Facebook page

Uk police said on Thursday they had ended their investigation into Covid-19 lockdown parties held at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Downing Street office, announcing they had issued a total of 126 fines.

London police acting deputy commissioner Helen Ball said: “Our investigation was thorough and impartial and was completed as quickly as we could, given the amount of information that needed to be reviewed and the importance of ensuring that we had strong evidence for each FPN (fixed penalty notice) referral. This investigation is now complete.”

Police said the fines related to eight dates when events were held at Downing Street and other government offices between May 2020 and April 2021 when lockdown measures were in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

PM Boris Johnson, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (File photo: Rishi Sunak official Facebook page)

Of those fined, 53 were men and 73 were women, with some people receiving more than one.

Johnson and Finance Minister Rishi Sunak were both fined last month over a gathering in his office to celebrate his 56th birthday in June 2020 when social mixing was all but banned.

Boris Johnson submits his response to Downing Street parties questionnaire

It led to widespread calls from opposition politicians and some in his own party for him to resign.

Downing Street did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”