Rishi Sunak receives questionnaire from police over lockdown Downing Street parties

Rishi Sunak has received a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police in its investigation into the partygate saga.

The PA news agency understands the Chancellor has received the form, and it will be returned within seven days as requested by officers.

The Met is looking into 12 alleged gatherings held across Whitehall and Downing Street on eight dates during coronavirus restrictions under Operation Hillman.

Sunak previously confirmed that he was at one of the events subject to Metropolitan Police inquiries – a birthday do held by Downing Street staff and Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie for the PM on June 19 2020.

But he insisted that he had been present at the Cabinet Room on the day in question for a routine meeting to discuss the pandemic situation.

Earlier this month, he appeared to suggest he was not expecting to receive a form to complete.

Asked on Sky News on February 11 whether he expected to receive a form, he replied: “No… well, I don’t know.”

He said at the time he did not believe he had broken any Covid rules.

When previously asked about the allegations, Sunak said he went to the Cabinet Room as he had for “100, 200, God knows how many other Covid meetings”.

No 10 previously confirmed Johnson had returned his own form to the police, and a leak of one of the questionnaires to ITV news raised the prospect he had become the first PM to be questioned under police caution.