BORIS Johnson’s response to a police questionnaire on parties at Number 10 will be kept secret, No 10 has said.
The Priem Minister himself, during a visit to Scotland, insisted he will have “a lot more” to say on the partygate row once the police investigation is concluded.
Met officers sent the questionnaire to approximately 50 people as they investigates 12 gatherings at No 10.
While at Rosyth Dockyard, Johnson was asked whether he had responded to the police questionnaire yet.
The PM visited Babcock Rosyth Dockyard today to see the construction of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 warships.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) February 14, 2022
The Type 31 programme is supporting more than 2,500 jobs across the UK.
These ships will play a vital role in protecting UK security interests around the world. pic.twitter.com/QJi5zbkAGe
He told reporters: “All that process has got to be completed before I can say anything more, but I look forward to telling you a lot more in due course.”
But the PM’s official spokesman added: “As we said on Friday, we will respond as required. As you know, I think the Met made clear that that was in seven days, so we will comply with that requirement.”
Asked if the responses would be made public, the spokesman said: “No.”
The Prime Minister may face growing calls to resign if he cannot convince police he was not in breach of regulations, and has reportedly begun preparing legal advice.
As he employs the help of personal lawyers, the Telegraph cited Johnson’s allies in reporting he plans to argue he was working in his official Downing Street flat on the night of the alleged “Abba party” in November 2020.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson insists he's working 'very hard' on 'uniting' people in Scotland
The Times reported that even if he is fined he will not resign, in a move that would be likely to trigger Tory MPs to force a vote of confidence in his leadership.
Scotland Yard says the questionnaires ask for an “account and explanation of the recipient’s participation in an event” and have “formal legal status and must be answered truthfully”.
Over the weekend, a Scottish legal expert raised concerns about the force’s decision to hand out questionnaires.
Dr Nick McKerrell, a lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, said the method of investigation was “quite weird”.
Fifteen Tory MPs have publicly called for Johnson to quit, while more are thought to have privately written to the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories calling for a no-confidence vote.
More are poised to do so if the Prime Minister is found to have broken his own coronavirus laws, or further damaging details emerge from the Sue Gray inquiry.
He will face a vote of no confidence if 54 Conservative MPs write to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, and would be ousted if more than half of his MPs subsequently voted against him.
Police are investigating a total of 12 gatherings in Downing Street on eight dates in an inquiry called Operation Hillman, which is examining whether Covid restrictions were broken.
The Prime Minister is believed to have attended at least of the events.
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