Police investigating lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street could interview Boris Johnson and wife Carrie within days.
Scotland Yard said as part of its investigation it will be necessary to contact “each individual” who attended events at No10 and in Whitehall when lockdown rules were in place to get an account.
On Monday, Dominic Raab confirmed the Prime Minister and his wife had not “yet” spoken with detectives, who have been handed a dossier of more than 300 photos and 500 pages of information by Sue Gray’s team.
“[An interview] hasn’t happened yet,” Mr Raab told Sky News.
“The police will conduct that investigation. I’m not going to start commenting about interviews that haven’t taken place.”
Detectives are probing 12 of the 16 gatherings identified by Ms Gray and her team. Their investigation should last under a year.
At least two events Boris Johnson has admitted he was present at are being investigated by the Met, including a gathering for his birthday on June 19, 2020 and a “bring your own booze” garden party in the Downing Street garden during the first national lockdown.
An alleged bash said to have taken place in the Prime Minister’s Downing Street flat to mark the ousting of the PM’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings in November 2020 is also under scrutiny by police.
It was claimed that Abba hit The Winner Takes It All was played at a “victory” party attended by Mrs Johnson.
The couple have said it did not take place.
Anyone found to have breached Covid rules without a reasonable excuse could be issued with a fixed penalty notice, a Met Police spokesman said.
The accused can choose to dispute the notice by taking their case to court but risk being identified.
The Met said individuals they need to interrogate further will be sent a series of questions by post or email before officers decide whether they should be fined for breaching Covid regulations.
Commander Catherine Roper said the fines in question would not be the penalties of thousands of pounds that were faced by some members of the public who organised large gatherings.
Scotland Yard said in a statement: “We understand the interest in and impact of this case, and will be progressing the investigation at pace.
“We are committed to completing our investigations proportionately, fairly and impartially.”
