Boris Johnson

Fines were given to other attendees at the gatherings in 2020, including one at No 10 on 13 November, where Mr Johnson delivered a leaving speech for his departing director of communications, Lee Cain, as well as another in the Cabinet Office on 17 December.

Downing Street previously stated that Mr Johnson did not receive questionnaires related to some of the lockdown events but the latest development is the first time the Met have admitted this, as part of a legal challenge it faces from the Good Law Project (GLP).

GLP said in a statement: “In their formal pleaded reply to our legal challenge, the Met admit they did not send the PM questionnaires, but continue to fail to provide any explanation of how they cleared the prime minister.”

It added: “We don’t think the Met’s response is consistent with their legal duty of candour. And we certainly don’t think it’s consistent with what the Met has elsewhere conceded is their public duty to maintain public confidence in policing.”

Scotland Yard said in its response to the GLP that investigating officers had examined hundreds of documents and that while questionnaires were a useful part of the investigation, “there was little to be gained” from sending one to a particular person if answers were apparent elsewhere.

GLP and Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick are seeking judicial review of the Met’s investigation, alleging a “failure to adequately investigate or investigate at all the participation of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in three unlawful gatherings held at 10 Downing Street”.