Met has sent out 100 questionnaires in its Number 10 ‘partygate’ investigation
The Metropolitan Police has sent out 100 questionnaires during its ongoing investigation into the Number 10 partygate scandal.
The police today said it had been begun interviewing witnesses, however no fixed penalty notices have been given out.
Outgoing Met commissioner Cressida Dick launched an investigation into the saga in January, with the police looking into more than a dozen potential law-breaking parties in Downing Street during times of strict Covid restrictions.
Senior civil servant Sue Gray also delivered a highly slimmed down report of the scandal in January, with most of her findings removed due to the ongoing Met investigation.
However, she did say that “failures of leadership and judgement” from the very top of government were evident from the many allegations of rule-breaking parties.
A statement from the Met today read: “To date, over 100 questionnaires have been sent out asking the recipients about their participation in alleged gatherings.
“The questionnaires provide recipients with the opportunity to give an account of their involvement and the responses form part of the investigative material for the operation.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said Boris Johnson completed and returned his police questionnaire last month.
Polling expert and Tory peer Lord Robert Hayward today told journalists that the Prime Minister has likely rode out the worst of the scandal in the eyes of the public.
Johnson will face a stern electoral test in May, with hundreds of local elections set to be fought across the country.
“He has a hold on people … like no other British politician in my lifetime,” he said.