Boris contacted by police as part of probe into lockdown parties, No10 confirms
11 February 2022, 21:48 | Updated: 11 February 2022, 23:16
Boris Johnson has been contacted by police as part of their probe into lockdown parties at No10, Downing Street has confirmed.
It comes as the Met confirmed on Wednesday that it would be contacting more than 50 people this week over No10 Partygate breaches, adding that further people may be contacted in the coming days and weeks.
Formal questionnaires were sent to 'party attendees', in relation to eight event dates that are being investigated between May 20 2020 and April 16 2021.
Downing Street said on Friday evening that the PM had received the legal form from the Met, and confirmed that he will "respond as required".
The move means Mr Johnson will have to provide a credible reason as to why he was at events held during coronavirus restrictions or face a fine.
A spokesperson said: "We can confirm the Prime Minister has received a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police. He will respond as required."
The questionnaire was dispatched during a difficult time for the Met, with commissioner Dame Cressida Dick having been forced out of her position after a series of scandals in the force.
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The inquiry into alleged breaches of Covid regulations in Downing Street and Whitehall has officially been named Operation Hillman, the Met said.
The force initially claimed it had no intention to look into the series of allegations due to an "absence of evidence" and a policy "not to investigate retrospective breaches" of Covid regulations but later u-turned.
The PM is alleged to have been at up to six of the gatherings, including a "bring your own booze" party in the No10 garden in May 2020 during the first lockdown.
Mr Johnson allegedly attended another organised by his wife, Carrie Johnson, in the official Downing Street residence in November that year, during which Abba songs were reportedly heard on the night of former chief adviser Dominic Cumming's departure.
Scotland Yard has also been forced to review its assessment that a Christmas quiz at No10 in 2020 did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation after an image emerged of Mr Johnson near alcohol, crisps and people wearing tinsel at the virtual gathering.
The event, which allegedly took place on December 15 during strict Tier 2 restrictions, is not one of those being investigated by the Met after officers were passed evidence from the Sue Gray inquiry.
It is expected that anyone punished in connection with the scandal will receive a fixed penalty notice and the Met has confirmed it will not name anyone it fines.
As part of the ongoing fallout of the scandal, Mr Johnson recently announced his latest additions to the No10 team, in a bid to "improve how No 10 operates, strengthen the role of my Cabinet and backbench colleagues, and accelerate our defining mission to level up the country".
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay has become the PM's chief of staff and journalist Guto Harri is now director of communications.
The move followed the resignation of four staff members - director of policy Munira Mirza, chief of staff Dan Rosenfield, principal private secretary Martin Reynolds and communications director Jack Doyle - within one day.
