No 10 confirmed on Friday night that the Prime Minister had acquired the authorized type from Metropolitan Cops, and stated he'll ‘reply as required’.
The transfer means Mr Johnson must present a reputable cause as to why he was at occasions held throughout coronavirus restrictions or face a high quality.
A No 10 spokeswoman stated: ‘We will verify the Prime Minister has acquired a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police. He'll reply as required.’
The Met Police say the questionnaires ask for an ‘account and clarification of the recipient’s participation in an occasion’ and have ‘formal authorized standing and have to be answered in truth’.
Recipients have been to be told they've seven days to reply.
No 10 wouldn't say whether or not the letter was questioning the Prime Minister over a number of occasions.
Officers engaged on Operation Hillman are sending the questionnaires to greater than 50 people throughout Downing Avenue and wider Authorities as they examine 12 occasions.
The Prime Minister is alleged to have been at as much as six of them, together with the ‘carry your individual booze’ celebration within the No 10 backyard in Could 2020 in the course of the first lockdown.
Mr Johnson allegedly attended one other organised by his spouse Carrie Johnson within the official Downing Avenue residence in November that yr, throughout which Abba songs have been reportedly heard on the night time of former chief adviser Dominic Cumming’s departure.
Mr Cummings tweeted: ‘nice work tory mps leaving this crippled joke of a pm spending subsequent 7 days bunkered down with legal professionals attempting to recollect all his completely different lies whereas one other main international disaster unfolds.’
Outgoing Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick this week urged a few of these being contacted by officers will find yourself with fines.
She informed BBC Radio London: ‘Clearly, some, however most likely not all, of these folks might very nicely find yourself with a ticket.’
The event additional imperils the embattled Prime Minister.
Former Conservative chief Sir Iain Duncan Smith has stated it might be ‘very powerful’ for Mr Johnson to cling on to energy if he's fined.
In an interview with the i newspaper, the senior Tory MP stated: ‘It will likely be troublesome, he is aware of that.’
Sir Iain added: ‘Should you’ve set the legal guidelines, and also you break them and the police resolve you may have damaged them… after which there’s the unredacted (Sue Grey) report – the 2 issues will come collectively.’
Fifteen Tory MPs have publicly known as for him to go, whereas extra are thought to have privately written to the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories calling for a no confidence vote.
Extra nonetheless are poised to take action if Mr Johnson is discovered to have damaged his personal coronavirus legal guidelines, or additional damaging particulars emerge from the Sue Grey inquiry.
Timeline of events being probed by police
Boris Johnson has acquired a questionnaire from police investigating allegations of lockdown-breaching events in Downing Avenue.
The Prime Minister might have attended as many as six occasions which are being regarded into by police, in response to stories.
A ‘carry your individual booze celebration’ attended by Mr Johnson in the course of the first Covid lockdown and a gathering to mark his birthday are amongst 12 events being investigated.
Additional particulars have since been reported, suggesting the Conservative Get together chief was seen heading to a celebration in his No 11 residence on the night time his former senior aide Dominic Cummings departed, and that he briefly attended a leaving do for one in every of his former defence advisers.
The 12 events being investigated by the Metropolitan Police are:
A leaked electronic mail from the Prime Minister’s principal non-public secretary Martin Reynolds confirmed No 10 employees have been invited to ‘carry your individual booze’ to an occasion within the Downing Avenue backyard.
Mr Johnson has admitted he was there for 25 minutes, however stated he thought it was a ‘work occasion’ to thank employees for his or her efforts in the course of the pandemic.
Senior civil servant Sue Grey’s interim report stated a gathering within the 70 Whitehall constructing was held to mark the departure of a No 10 non-public secretary.
The occasion had not beforehand been disclosed however The Telegraph stated the official in query is former dwelling affairs coverage adviser Hannah Younger, who left Downing Avenue to take up the function of deputy consul basic in New York.
The newspaper stated it understood about 20 folks attended, with alcohol consumed.
Downing Avenue has admitted employees ‘gathered briefly’ within the Cupboard Room in what was reportedly a shock get-together for the Prime Minister organised by his now spouse Carrie.
The PA information company was informed Lulu Lytle, the inside designer behind lavish renovations of the Downing Avenue flat, briefly attended whereas endeavor work there.
Nonetheless, No 10 has denied a report that, later the identical night, household and mates have been hosted upstairs to rejoice the event.
Mrs Johnson reportedly hosted events within the official flat over No 11 the place she and Mr Johnson stay, together with one occasion on November 13, the night time of Dominic Cummings’ acrimonious departure.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s spouse known as the declare ‘whole nonsense’.
However stories have since urged that the Prime Minister was seen heading as much as the flat on the night time in query, with the Mail On Sunday stating that Abba songs, together with The Winner Takes It All, have been heard coming from the residence.
Mr Cummings, former de facto chief-of-staff at No 10, has alleged there are pictures of events held on the flat throughout lockdown and stated he has spoken to individuals who heard music coming from the Johnsons’ lodging on the night time he exited Downing Avenue.
In response to stories on the time, Mr Johnson gave a leaving speech for Lee Cain, his departing director of communications and an in depth ally of Mr Cummings.
The Cupboard Secretary Simon Case eliminated himself from the inquiry into Whitehall events – to get replaced by Ms Grey – after stories emerged of a gathering within the Cupboard Workplace.
It was reported the do had been organised by a personal secretary in Mr Case’s workforce, and that it was included in digital calendars as: ‘Christmas celebration!’ and included an internet quiz.
The Cupboard Workplace stated Mr Case performed no half within the occasion ‘however walked by means of the workforce’s workplace on the way in which to his personal’.
The previous director-general of the Authorities’s Covid Taskforce Kate Josephs stated she was ‘actually sorry’ over leaving drinks held within the Cupboard Workplace.
A leaving do was held for a departing Downing Avenue official.
The Telegraph reported that the employees member in query is Captain Steve Higham, then one in every of Mr Johnson’s non-public secretaries, who suggested on defence and nationwide safety points.
The Mirror, which first reported the occasion earlier than the police investigation started, stated Mr Johnson was solely there ‘for a couple of minutes’.
Capt Higham turned Commanding Officer of the plane provider HMS Prince of Wales in July 2021.
Officers and advisers reportedly made speeches, loved a cheese board, drank collectively and exchanged Secret Santa items, though the Prime Minister is just not thought to have attended.
Mr Johnson’s spokeswoman Allegra Stratton resigned after video emerged of her joking a few ‘fictional celebration’ at a mock press convention.
A gathering was held in No 10 to mark the departure of two non-public secretaries.
Experiences have urged the Prime Minister attended the leaving occasion, which was for a senior civil servant within the Division for Digital, Tradition, Media and Sport, in response to The Telegraph.
The opposite official’s identification is up to now unknown.
The night time earlier than the Queen sat alone on the funeral of her husband of just about 70 years, in compliance with Covid guidelines on the time, two leaving dos have been reportedly held in No 10.
Downing Avenue apologised to Buckingham Palace after reported particulars emerged of boozy drinks events, together with one for outgoing communications director James Slack.
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A photograph emerged of quite a lot of teams gathered within the No 10 backyard, together with Mr Johnson, Mrs Johnson, Mr Cummings and Mr Reynolds sitting collectively on the terrace.
Mr Johnson reportedly gave a leaving speech at a gathering for Cleo Watson, one other ally of Mr Cummings.
Then schooling secretary Gavin Williamson reportedly threw a celebration and delivered a brief speech at his division’s Whitehall headquarters.
The Prime Minister appeared on contestants’ screens on the quiz however insisted he broke no guidelines.
Mr Johnson will face a vote of no confidence if 54 Conservatives write to 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, and can be ousted if greater than half of his MPs subsequently voted towards Mr Johnson.
Tobias Ellwood, one of many Conservative MPs to have written a letter, informed BBC Newsnight: ‘We have to get this resolved. The nation is taking a look at this. There’s an enormous stage of belief to be regained. We have to transfer ahead, this can be a mess.’
The questionnaire was additionally dispatched throughout a troublesome time for the Met, with Dame Cressida having been pressured into asserting her resignation after a collection of scandals.
Her substitute shall be chosen by House Secretary Priti Patel, although London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s views must also be consulted.
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