INTERNATIONAL: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increasing pressure to step down over a "partygate" scandal that revealed both he and Downing Street officials broke stringent laws that his government made during the pandemic.

On Friday (June 3), Johnson was greeted with a chorus of boos and jeers as he arrived at a Service of Thanksgiving for Queen Elizabeth to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

A damning official report published last month detailed a series of illegal parties at Johnson's Downing Street office during COVID-19 lockdowns, prompting a new wave of calls for the Conservative prime minister to step aside.

More than 25 Conservative lawmakers have called on Johnson to resign, while at least a further six have criticised his conduct but stopped short of saying he should resign.

It said that a failure of leadership at Johnson's Downing Street office was to a blame for a culture that led to illegal parties being held during coronavirus lockdowns.

"Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen," the report said. "The senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture."

Gray's interim findings were published in January this year, but most details were withheld until the end of a separate police inquiry, which concluded with 126 fines handed out.

Both Johnson and finance minister Rishi Sunak were among those fined over a party to celebrate the prime minister's 56th birthday on June 2020.

Johnson has faced calls from opposition politicians and some in his own party for him to resign after it was revealed both he and officials had broken the rules which meant people could not socialise outside their households or even, in many cases, attend funerals for loved ones.