Police investigating the lockdown parties in Downing Street are contacting more than 50 people who attended and asking them to give an account of their presence.
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie are thought to be among those who have been given seven days to give an honest explanation to the police about the rule-breaking parties.
The Metropolitan Police said the inquiry named Operation Hillman would be sending notices asking for “an account and explanation of the recipient’s participation in an event”.
In a statement the Met said: “This document, which asks for an account and explanation of the recipient’s participation in an event, has formal legal status and must be answered truthfully.”
“Recipients are informed that responses are required within seven days. In most cases contact is being made via email.”
The statement added: “It should be noted that being contacted does not mean a fixed penalty notice will necessarily be issued to that person.
“Nevertheless, if following an investigation, officers believe it is appropriate because the Covid regulations have been breached without a reasonable excuse, a fixed penalty notice will normally be issued.”
The announcement came hours after the force said it is reviewing whether a Christmas quiz at No.10 may have breached covid-19 restrictions after the Mirror newspaper published a picture showing Boris Johnson and colleagues near an open bottle of champagne.
Cabinet ministers are now braced for a drip-drip of “partygate” photos which could further destabilise Boris Johnson’s leadership.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Times Radio: “There could be a photograph tomorrow the next day and the day after that. And that is clearly what is behind some of the people’s motives, how accurate they are, how much they are put in the right context. “
He added: “That’s what the police will find out and I think that’s a perfectly legitimate professional function to do it.”
After the Christmas Quiz picture emerged Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former chief adviser turned enemy, tweeted: “there’s waaaaay better pics than that floating around, incl in the flat.”
Sue Gray’s interim report last week disclosed that police were investigating 12 different events in No 10 and Whitehall over the course of 2020 and 2021 for possible breaches of Covid rules.
Her investigation has uncovered 300 pictures which have been shared with the Met Police.
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