Boris Johnson cannot answer specific questions about lockdown parties in Downing Street because he does not want to prejudice the police investigation, the deputy prime minister has claimed.

“If he does start answering specific questions that have been referred to the police, he will be accused, in fact fairly and rightly, of prejudicing or preventing or interfering in that investigation,” Dominic Raab told Kay Burley.

‘Positive’ mood among Tory MPs as PM appears to have staved off immediate threat – politics live

His response came after he was asked whether the prime minister was at an event in the Number 10 flat in November 2020, one of the 12 gatherings the Metropolitan Police is investigating.

The force said on Monday that it has received more than 300 photos and 500 pieces of paper as part of its inquiries into events during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

Its update came after Sue Gray, the senior civil servant leading a Cabinet Office inquiry into the partygate allegations, released a partial version of her report.

Mr Raab said it was right that police were now given the “time and space” to carry out their investigation.

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