Wycombe MP Steve Baker is one of more than 40 parliamentarians to demand an urgent review of all Covid fines and prosecutions in the wake of the 'partygate' allegations.

In a joint letter published by civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch and criminal justice watchdog Fair Trials, the signatories, including Mr Baker, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn MP, and former minister David Davis MP, cite the "discriminatory, inconsistent and unlawful enforcement" of coronavirus laws and regulations.

They are also calling for wrongfully or unlawfully issued fines to be repaid, prosecutions withdrawn and criminal convictions rescinded.

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The letter, to MP Dominic Raab, the secretary of state for justice, adds: "There is clear evidence that these laws have been applied in a discriminatory fashion.

"Amid allegations of numerous offences under these same laws in the heart of government, it is vital that decisive action is taken to safeguard the public's trust in the justice system.

"Where fines have been wrongfully or unlawfully issued, they should be withdrawn and any money paid should be refunded.

"Where prosecutions have been wrongfully or unlawfully brought, they should also be withdrawn, any conviction rescinded and criminal records deleted.

"Many of the signatories to this letter have been contacted by individuals who have been wrongly issued with Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

"Some have proceeded to pay them due to a lack of resources to legally challenge them, a loss of trust in the system, and the fear of a criminal prosecution."

The letter says ongoing reviews have uncovered a total of 803 unlawful charges under coronavirus-related legislation out of 2,716 charges overall - 30 per cent of all charges reviewed.

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As of June 2021, 369 fines of £10,000 had been given out for ‘participating in a large gathering’ (more than 30 people) under the Regulations in England and Wales. A total of 3,941 fines of £800 had been given out for participating in a gathering of more than 15 people.

The letter also notes the “discriminatory” enforcement of coronavirus offences, with “Black and Asian people in England disproportionately facing fines for coronavirus-related offences”.

Police were twice as likely to fine young Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnic people for alleged lockdown offences, while stop and search rose 24 per cent during the first year of the pandemic.

As well as MPs, human rights charities and organisations including Appeal, INQUEST, Justice, Liberty, Kids of Colour and Working Chance have also signed the letter.

Silkie Carlo, Director of Big Brother Watch said: This Government has thrown the country into a rule of law crisis and urgent action is needed to protect justice.

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"We have set out how thousands of people have been unlawfully fined and prosecuted by a broken justice system, under constantly changing coronavirus laws - the most restrictive in British peacetime.

"We have demonstrated that prosecutions under inactive Coronavirus Act powers have taken place that are plainly unlawful, which the Justice Secretary must urgently address. It is an insult and grave injustice for innocent people who have found themselves wrongly criminalised, whilst allegations of law-breaking engulf Downing Street.

"Minoritised groups have disproportionately felt the hard edge of the law, often wrongly, whilst those in power appear to have partied right under the nose of the police. A review of all fines and an accessible route to redress is now urgently needed to recover fairness, justice, and equality before the law."