Boris Johnson & Rishi Sunak Fined for Lockdown-Breaking Parties
The Facts
UK PM Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have been issued fines by the Met police for attending gatherings that broke lockdown restrictions.
They are among more than 30 recipients of fixed penalty notices issued on Tues. over the "partygate" events.
The Spin
Right narrative
As long as Labour's Kier Starmer remains a weak and unconvincing opposition leader, conservative MPs can stick behind Johnson. The UK faces imminent local elections and the PM has been a strong and significant ally to the Ukrainian president since the Russian invasion. While such issues continue to dwarf the fallout from Partygate, Johnson will likely hold onto his position.
Left narrative
Johnson broke the draconian laws he himself implemented and has made a fool of the British people. There is no way the UK can demonstrate the moral and practical superiority of Western democracy over Russia's Putin if it spares a blatantly corrupt leader. It has become clear that Johnson presided over an arrogant and disgraceful culture of law-breaking in Downing Street and must be replaced.
