Calls for Boris Johnson to Explain Himself Intensify as He Faces Up to £10K Fine Over Partygate

Despite the UK prime minister insisting that he should not step down in order to focus on the Ukrainian crisis, calls for him to resign over his "partygate" fines continue to emerge.

UK PM Boris Johnson is continuing to face calls to explain why he told the Parliament he broke no coronavirus restrictions during the alleged Downing Street parties but ended up receiving a fixed penalty notice from the Met Police nevertheless.

Both supporters and critics of Johnson insist the prime minister has to answer a lot of questions - to them and to the public. However, many UK politicians are calling on him to step down, with Scottish and Welsh First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford being among the most vocal advocates of Johnson's resignation.

The prime minister has paid a £50 fine for his birthday party in Downing Street after receiving a fixed penalty notice from the Met Police, but, according to human rights attorney Adam Wagner cited by Sky News, he could end up paying much more.

"Each one doubles, so if the Prime Minister attended six gatherings and five of which he's at risk of getting a fixed penalty notice for - if he gets a fixed penalty notice in order for each one then he could end up paying over £10,000," Wagner told Sky News.

Aside from Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak was also fined, and reports said that he had been considering for hours over whether he should resign. However, he has reportedly been talked out of it because of the pressure his resignation would put on Johnson to follow the lead.

A a recent poll by YouGov has also determined that over 50 percent of Britons believe the prime minister should resign after being slapped with the partygate fine.

Some people, however, believe that now is not the time to boot Johnson from Downing Street, arguing that the UK has to focus on its response to the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. Among such politicians are Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and former Brexit Minister Lord Frost.

However, their backing does not mean Johnson is safe from further scrutiny.

"I don't think the one fixed penalty notice is in itself grounds for resignation. But I think it's not possible just to say: 'That was then and this is now, let's move on, the world is different', as the Government is trying to this morning," Frost told LBC.

Johnson has been accused of attending several gatherings in Downing Street at the time when the UK was under strict coronavirus restrictions. Among such gatherings were his own birthday party, a Christmas party and a bunch of leaving dos, along with many others. The prime minister, however, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting he believed all gatherings were "work meetings".