Six times Boris and Rishi denied breaking the law

Well, that’s that then. This afternoon the Metropolitan Police fined the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of Exchequer for breaking lockdown laws. It follows an investigation into alleged Covid law-breaking at 12 gatherings in Whitehall and Downing Street. Both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have maintained their innocence right up until this week. Below are six of the most memorable denials by the two men since claims emerged last year.

1 December 2021 

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Johnson denies that Covid rules had been broken. He tells the House of Commons: ‘All guidance was followed completely in No. 10.’

3 December 2021

Asked whether rules had been broken Johnson told the BBC: ‘That’s not true. We followed the guidance throughout. We continue to follow the guidance… We followed the guidance at all times… We followed the guidance at all times… I’m sorry, but I’m just going to have to tell you: We followed the guidance at all times, and we will continue to follow the guidance at all times.