British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised to the House of Commons for breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules by hosting social gatherings at 10 Downing Street.

Mr Johnson, who has paid his £50 ($66) fine, shared his apology with the lawmakers on their first day back from the Easter break. 

“I take this opportunity on the first available sitting day to repeat my wholehearted apology to the House [of Commons]…,” Mr Johnson told lawmakers. “It did not occur to me then, or subsequently, that a gathering in the Cabinet Room just before a vital meeting on COVID strategy could amount to a breach of the rules. I repeat that was my mistake, and I apologise for it, unreservedly.” 

The House of Commons had been on an 11-day Easter break last week when Mr Johnson and chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak were fined for attending a birthday party that was in violation of lockdown rules. 

The Johnson-led administration have faced mounting pressure and outrage since it was revealed that Mr Johnson and his staff held office parties in 2020 and 2021, violating COVID-19 lockdown rules. 

London’s Metropolitan Police said it had observed at least 50 breaches of the law as part of its inquiry into the “partygate” scandal. Mr Johnson was subsequently fined £50 ($66). 

Mr Johnson now faces calls to resign, candidates considered for Prime Minister in the event that Mr Johnson is removed include Mr Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

The United Kingdom would be thrown in limbo as the West deals with the Ukraine-Russian crisis and the world’s fifth-largest economy struggles with the inflationary wave triggered by the COVID pandemic, with UK inflation rising to the highest level in nearly 30 years.