Boris Johnson will not receive personal legal advice from government lawyers in relation to the Metropolitan Police probe into allegations of rule-busting parties, No 10 has said.
The prime minister’s official spokesperson also confirmed that Mr Johnson had not yet been contacted as part of the force’s Operation Hillman investigation into a dozen events held during Covid restrictions.
However, they added: “We would look to confirm contact of this sort as relates to the prime minister given the significant public interest”.
It comes after Scotland Yard revealed last night that officers would be contacting more than 50 people, who will be sent questionnaires with “formal legal status” over the dozen events held in No 10 and Whitehall buildings during Covid restrictions.
“The document, which asks for an account and explanation of the recipient’s participation in an events, has formal legal status and must be answered truthfully,” the Met police said.
On Thursday, commissioner Cressida Dick suggested that “some, but probably not all of those people” involved in the events “may very well end up with… a fixed penalty notice”.
Questioned on whether the prime minister would receive personal legal advice of the party-gate allegations, the official spokesperson said: “With regards to the prime minister, he won’t be receiving bespoke personal legal advice from the government legal department in that regard.
“When it comes to the civil service there are processes in place in terms of general broad support for civil servants, but I think the approach will broadly remain.”
However, they declined to say whether the prime minister would seek privately funded legal advice, saying: “I’m not getting into advice individuals may or may not receive”.
Earlier, during a press conference alongside the Nato secretary-general in Brussels, the prime minister refused to say whether he would resign if police issue him with a fix penalty notice for a breach of the Covid regulations.
Pressed on whether he would quit No 10, he sidestepped the question, telling reporters: “On what’s gong on at home — that process must be completed.”
“I’m looking forward to it being completed,” he added. “That’s the time to say more on that”.
But some Tory MPs have suggested such an outcome would be the end for the prime minister. Asked on ITV’s Peston if the PM would have to go if fine, Treasury minister Simon Clarke refused to say.
“The prime minister has been very clear that if there is any action taken against him by the police, then he will make it public,” said Mr Clarke. “I’m not going to get drawn into hypotheticals on what he would need to do.”
