Boris Johnson won't say if his dad and Jeremy Corbyn should be fined for breaking Covid rules
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference, at 10 Downing Street. - Credit: Frank Augstein/PA Wire.
Boris Johnson is shying away from suggestions his father and Jeremy Corbyn should be fined for breaking coronavirus restrictions.
The prime minister's official spokesperson said that enforcement of the new regulations were up to the police, not ministers.
The prime minister's father, Stanley Johnson, was pictured entering a shop on Tuesday without a face mask meanwhile Corbyn, Labour's previous leader, was captured at a dinner with more than six people.
Both have since apologised.
Labour's shadow mental health minister Rosena Allin-Khan has called for both men to be fined.
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She said: "Anyone that breaks the law should pay a fine."
"We all have a responsibility to adhere to the rules."
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But Downing Street has refused to back those calls.
The prime minister's official spokesman said: "In relation to individuals, it’s for police to determine what action to take.
"What the PM is clear on is the rules apply to everyone and everyone should follow them."
Asked if Johnson had spoken to his dad, the Downing Street spokesman said they didn't know.
"The PM is clear the rules apply to everyone and everybody should follow them," he added.
"I think it’s for police to determine what action to take in relation to individuals. That applies to our justice system in general."
Johnson senior has said he was "extremely sorry" for failing to cover up and that he was not aware of the new restrictions because he had been out of the country for the past three weeks.
Downing Street's comments come as senior Tory figures have lined to defended Johnson's actions.
Appearing on LBC radio, environment minister George Eustice said it would be not be "appropriate" to penalise Johnson for a lack of oversight.
"My view is that fines should be reserved for people wilfully and repeatedly breaching the regulations we have in place," he told presenter Nick Ferrari.
"I don't think they're appropriate for people who make innocent areas or an oversight or forget something."
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt agreed. He told the radio station Johnson deserved "a bit of British leniency".
"I think persistent offenders, yes, but a fist time offence by accident, a bit of British leniency".
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