Hundreds of people prosecuted for breaking Covid-19 restrictions in Yorkshire as PM apologises for 'Christmas party'

Boris Johnson apologised for the Christmas party which was held at Downing Street this time last year as he announced hastily-arranged Plan B rules will come into force next week.

The Prime Minister announced on Wednesday that work-from-home guidance will return, Covid health certificates are to become mandatory in large venues and mask rules will be extended to combat the rapidly-spreading strain in England.

But while no action has yet been taken against anyone present at the party at Downing Street, hundreds of people in Yorkshire were slapped with fines and handed criminal records for breaking the rules.

In Yorkshire, a total of 650 court prosecutions were handed out for breaches of restrictions introduced at the beginning of the pandemic.

This led to 587 convictions with most of them leading to fines. Almost all of the convictions were for breaches of the restrictions - although one in West Yorkshire was for a person who left their home while potentially infected with Covid-19.

In total, fines worth £314,118 were handed out to people for breaking the coronavirus rules in 2020. Most fines ranged between £300 and £1,000.

The figures detail all prosecution outcomes, so the same defendant could have been listed more than once.

In North Yorkshire, one person jailed for six months after being convicted, while in South Yorkshire, someone was given a conditional discharge, where no further action is taken unless a further offence is committed. In Humberside, one person was issued with an absolute discharge, where no further action is taken.

Mr Johnson is now facing anger from his own MPs following the revelations which have come to light in the last week.

Conservative backbenchers openly questioned the Government’s “credibility” in being able to enforce the rules while so many believed Downing Street had breached them.

Shipley MP Philip Davies said in Parliament on Wednesday: “Earlier this week the Secretary of State came to the Chamber and said … there was not one single hospitalisation from this new variant and today he comes with his latest in a long line of arbitrary, unnecessary, socialist measures supported by the socialists on the other side of the House as well.”

He added: “Can he give me any reason at all why I shouldn’t tell my constituents to treat these rules in exactly the same way that Number 10 Downing Street treated last year’s rules?”

Mandatory mask wearing will be extended to indoor public venues including cinemas, theatres and places of worship from Friday but will not be required in pubs and restaurants, while the guidance to work from home where possible will return on Monday.

The NHS Covid pass, which can be obtained by having two vaccines or a negative lateral flow test, will be introduced for entry into nightclubs and other large venues from December 15, as Mr Johnson set out the “proportionate and responsible” measures.

MPs are expected to be given a vote on the measures on Tuesday, during which a number of Tory rebels who have been angered by restrictions are poised to oppose the Government.

But shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour would “put public health first” and support the measures, meaning they will almost certainly be approved in the Commons, as he accused the Prime Minister of having “undermined public trust and confidence” at a “critical time”.

“It’s quite clear Boris Johnson simply isn’t up to the job and Conservative MPs need to ask themselves whether they are happy for this man to continue being our Prime Minister,” he said.