On the 21st January, Priti Patel announced the introduction of £800 fines for anyone attending a house party of 15 or more people. But will they really be effective?
“Is a monetary punishment really the way to prevent large gatherings?”
Are the fines an effective deterrent?
Fines for partying aren’t a new addition for the 2021 lockdown. Last year, the government introduced a £10,000 fine for anybody hosting a party, and a minimum fine of £200 for attending one in England, which questions why the increase to £800 was necessary.
The statistics prior to the increase prove that the fines simply weren’t enough of a deterrent. On New Year’s Eve alone, five £10,000 fines were handed out in London, £18,000 worth of penalties in Essex and a massive £74,000 worth of fines were issued across Leicestershire. But will the increase to £800 really make much of a difference? And is a monetary punishment really the way to prevent large gatherings?
What’s the number?
The main thing that many people are focusing on within the new restrictions is the rule regarding gatherings of under 15 people. Of course, under lockdown rules, it is illegal to meet anybody outside of your household, but many are questioning whether those meeting in groups of 14 or less will escape the penalties. The new restrictions were mocked across social media, with tweets such as “Breaking News: house parties of up to 14 people now allowed” and “I’ll keep it to 14 then, don’t worry Priti” going viral on the site.
“However, it isn’t just wild university students breaking the rules”
It seems that Twitter isn’t the only place where the rules aren’t taken seriously, as huge university parties have continued to make the headlines following the new restrictions. Last week a party at The University of Sheffield’s Ranmoor Student Village was shut down by police. 150 people attended and £34,000 worth of fines were given out, including a £10,000 fine to the organiser and 30-40 £800 fines to those who attended.
Not just students…
Sheffield’s party wasn’t a one-off event, with similar parties being shut down at universities across the country. A £10,000 fine was issued in Ormskirk after an Edge Hill student broke lockdown rules and threw a birthday party, telling police officers that they were “bored and wanted some fun.”
However, it isn’t just wild university students breaking the rules; many celebrities have also been found partying during lockdown. Rita Ora came under fire in November after offering a London restaurant £5000 to break lockdown rules and host a party for her 30th birthday. She attended the party with around 30 other guests in Notting Hill restaurant Casa Cruz during the UK’s second lockdown. Ora managed to avoid a fine, but the restaurant had its license revoked for six weeks.
Next steps?
“They need to toughen the rules with threats that will deter everybody, not just those who can’t afford the fines”
She isn’t the first celebrity to break lockdown partying rules and she certainly won’t be the last. With celebrities such as Zara Holland, Gordan Ramsey and AJ Pritchard also mixing households and ignoring travel rules, it’s becoming clear that fines simply aren’t enough of a deterrent. To celebrities like Ora with a net worth of £12million, will an £800 fine really stop them from having a good night out? The same applies to students that have been caught partying; if they know their parents will foot the bill or their student loan will cover it, there is little to stop them from throwing a house party and ‘making the most’ of their student experience.
A financial punishment for those who can afford it won’t stop them from partying, meaning the laws against lockdown partying are only effective against those with the cash to spare. If the Government truly want to clamp down on lockdown gatherings, they need to toughen the rules with threats that will deter everybody, not just those who can’t afford the fines. Threats of community service or a criminal record which would tarnish the reputation of celebrities or threaten the job prospects of students would be taken far more seriously than a temporary dent in their bank accounts.
Caitlin Hart
Featured image courtesy of Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash. Image licence can be found here. No changes were made to this image.