All other Cabinet ministers, including Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, issued public endorsements of Mr Johnson. 

“The PM has accepted the Met’s decision and apologised. I fully support the PM and Chancellor as they focus on maintaining the UK’s international leadership against Russian brutality in Ukraine, and delivering our recovery from the pandemic for the British people at home,” tweeted Mr Raab.

Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, who has been widely tipped as a contender in any future Conservative leadership contest, said Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak had her “100 per cent backing”.

Ben Wallace, who has had a leading role in the British response to the invasion of Ukraine, said he could “understand the anger” about fixed penalty notices.

But he added: “No doubt many will want to focus on this issue, but right now the Ukraine war is an urgent challenge and this PM has led the international response. As Defence Secretary, he has given me his full backing to deliver the aid requested and desperately needed. He has my full support.”

As of Wednesday, 67 MPs had either issued their own statements of support or shared positive comments about Mr Johnson’s recent fine.