Evening Standard Comment: The drip, drip of Partygate shows the scandal is not going away

As headlines go, “ex-Government ethics chief fined over breaking lockdown rules” sounds almost too neat.

But former deputy Cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara has apologised for her “error of judgement” after receiving a fixed penalty notice from Scotland Yard as part of its investigation into alleged lockdown-breaching parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.

It is the latest example that demonstrates how widespread these parties were — and how detached many in the heart of Government were from the rest of the country. Despite ministers playing it down, this scandal is not going away. Further fines are being issued, and there remains the potential for more big names to be targeted.

Ultimately, the reason this story carries such potency is that it is about hypocrisy and rule-breaking in Government, and it carries the power to further erode trust between the public and those in power. That is why it is vital justice is done and seen to be done.

Congratulations to Imperial College London, which is today celebrating a record-equaling fourth University Challenge title.

The four students — Max Zeng, Fatima Sheriff, Michael Mays and Gilbert Jackson — defeated the University of Reading by 10 points in the final, which was broadcast on BBC2 last night.

The television show may not be a randomised control trial to decide the best British university, but as a starter for 10 it is further evidence that London hosts many of the leading higher education institutions not only in the UK but the world.