Rishi Sunak receives police questionnaire as part of partygate probe
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- Rishi Sunak received a police questionnaire about Downing Street parties.
- The chancellor has previously said he was not expecting to be quizzed on "partygate."
- Sunak has until recently been considered a favourite to take over from Boris Johnson.
Rishi Sunak was sent a questionnaire by police investigating alleged COVID-19 rule-breaching parties held at Downing Street.
The chancellor received the document after the initial set was sent out to several individuals including the prime minister, a spokeswoman told Insider. She declined to comment further.
Sunak previously told Sky News he was not expecting to be asked about his involvement with any gatherings and said he had not broken any lockdown rules. He admitted that he did not know whether he would receive a questionnaire.
Police warned recipients that the questionnaire has formal legal status and must be answered truthfully, with responses required within seven days.
It is not known whether Sunak's questionnaire has the same format as others.
A leaked copy of one, published by ITV News on Tuesday night, showed that recipients were asked to provide "a written statement under caution".
It said respondents "do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court."
Sunak has been widely discussed as a favourite potential challenger to Boris Johnson, whose leadership has been mired in allegations over sleaze and lockdown-breaking parties.
However recently support has appeared to ebb from the chancellor, as he begins to take the flack for economic concerns, Meanwhile support for Johnson has rallied.
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