Focus is on Russia not ‘Partygate’, insists defence minister 

Defence minister James Heappey has said he will be “worrying” about analysing photographs of Russian troops on the Ukraine border rather than the potential implications of the ‘Partygate’ allegations.

The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating twelve allegations of lockdown-defying gatherings across Downing Street and Whitehall.

When quizzed by Sky News over whether the prime minister ought to pay any fines owed following his contact from the police last week, Heappey explained: “He [Boris Johnson] needs, I think, to be found guilty by an investigation by the police first, doesn’t he? I certainly don’t think the Prime Minister should volunteer his culpability if his argument is that he’s not culpable.

“We should wait and see what the police come back with,” he went on.

When aked whether a photograph showing Boris Johnson and to other people within reach of an open Prosecco bottle the MP for Wells hit back: “You’re asking me to offer an analysis of a photograph, I don’t know the context of that photograph. If there are photographs that I’m going to spend time worrying about today, it’s the photographs of Russian troop formations on the Ukrainian border.

“That’s what’s fixating me, that’s what’s taking up my time. I make no apology for that, this is a moment of acute geopolitical crisis and all of us in government have got a job to do.”