What next after Boris Johnson hands police his partygate questionnaire?

By Westminster Producer Lewis Denison

No 10 has confirmed Boris Johnson has handed in his partygate questionnaire to the Metropolitan Police.

The prime minister was given a week to respond after receiving it last Friday - with the Metropolitan Police asking him to provide information about the alleged rule-breaking events he attended during the pandemic.

He was among more than 50 people sent a questionnaire as part of the Met's criminal investigation into partygate, which was launched after Sue Gray passed the force evidence of potential criminality.

The completed questionnaire will be among the final pieces of partygate evidence police receive on the prime minister's involvement before deciding whether to issue fixed penalty notices.

How long now until police conclude their investigation?

Officers will be looking to conclude the partygate investigation as soon as possible once questionnaires have been received, according to former senior police investigators.

Although the PM got his questionnaire last Friday others working in Downing Street have continued to receive them this week.

Once all the questionnaires have been received, police will assess whether the answers provided are excuse enough for the authors to avoid being fined.

That process could take days or weeks, but certainly not months, sources say.

What answers did Boris Johnson write on his questionnaire and can he avoid a fine?

The prime minister's responses to his questionnaire will not be made public, Number 10 has previously confirmed, but sources have divulged to ITV News what his excuse for attending parties may be.

The PM hired a private lawyer - who is also being used by his wife Carrie Johnson - after receiving his questionnaire and has been advised he could avoid a fine, according to Political Editor Robert Peston.

Mr Johnson will explain to investigators via his questionnaire that, regardless of his perhaps brief attendances, he always returned to "proper" work afterwards, sources have told Peston.

If he can prove he "resumed more conventional prime ministerial activities after the seeming parties, his legal advisors seem to think there is a chance he can prove said events were simply part of his working day", Peston has been told.

Is the prime minister likely to be fined? And how much could it be?

Police have taken the unusual decision to send questionnaires to the people it is investigating because it has all the evidence it requires to issue fines, but is giving those being probed a chance to explain their actions.

The Met has confirmed if officers believe it is appropriate, because the Covid regulations have been breached without reasonable excuse, an fixed penalty notice (FPN) would normally be issued.

The force was passed a package of evidence from Sue Gray, the civil servant who carried out the initial internal partygate inquiry, which included 300 photographs.

One of those photos reportedly shows the prime minister holding a beer during an event held on his birthday.

If that's true it will be difficult for the PM to prove he was working and not breaking any of his own Covid regulations.

So will his excuse work that he always returned to work after attending any gathering?

Peston doubts it and has spoken to sources close to the PM who believe he will be fined.

Fines start at £100 for the first offence, growing to £200 for the second offence before doubling for each repeat offence before hitting the cap of £6,400.

Any individual is entitled to appeal their fine, which could see the appellant appear in court.

If he's fined, then what?

Despite initially refusing to guarantee disclosure, Downing Street has accepted the public will have to be told if the PM is fined.

After learning the PM was under criminal investigation, his spokesman said: "Obviously we are aware of the significant public interest with regard to the prime minister and we would always look to provide what updates we can on him, specifically." Asked if that meant No 10 would say if he was given a FPN, the spokesman said: "Hypothetically, yes."

Fifteen Tory MPs have publicly called for Mr Johnson to quit, while more are thought to have privately written to the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories calling for a no-confidence vote.

It's likely more letters will be submitted if police fine him for his participation in the numerous events.

If 54 submit letters of no confidence there will be a vote on Mr Johnson's leadership which would result in a new leadership contest if he loses and if he wins he'll have another year in office before MPs can try to remove him again.

Will he resign?

The PM has said he “can’t comment about a process that is under way” when asked if he would resign if he is found to have broken lockdown laws.

Speaking in an interview with BBC One’s Sunday Morning Programme, Mr Johnson was also asked if he could understand many people’s doubts about his explanations of gatherings held in No 10.

“There is simply not a bean I can tell you about that,” he responded.

Speaking of the police investigation and criticism from his own party members, Mr Johnson said: “I am fortunate to live in a democracy. I am fortunate to be the PM of a free independent democratic country where people can take that sort of decision, and where I do face that sort of pressure, that’s a wonderful thing.”

Will Cressida Dick's departure impact the investigation?

The Metropolitan Police said its investigation into alleged parties held at Downing Street during lockdown will not be affected by Dame Cressida Dick’s resignation.

Dame Cressida announced on Thursday she would stand aside as Metropolitan Police Commissioner after losing the confidence of London Mayor Sadiq Khan following a series of scandals.

The force said the probe continues as normal under the leadership of Commander Catherine Roper.

What about Sue Gray's report?

Ms Gray's partygate 'update', as it was referred to because the police investigation prevented her from publishing the full report, condemned "failures of leadership and judgment" in Number 10 under the PM's watch.

The top civil accepted the document she passed to the PM could not be described as a "meaningful report" because she has made "minimal reference" to the gatherings the police are investigating.

She said she hasn't set out "the extensive factual information" she has.

The civil servant did however say she would keep all the evidence she has uncovered in "secure storage" for "safekeeping" until it "may be required".

Downing Street had resisted pressure to guarantee the full report would be published but eventually performed a U-turn.

The government eventually said at the conclusion of the Met’s investigation, the prime minister will ask Ms Gray to update her work in light of what is found.

Mr Johnson has promised to publish that update.