Prime Minister Boris Johnson could face a £10,000 fine over the partygate scandal as police move to question those involved in the rule-breaking events.
Barrister Adam Wagner, a Covid laws expert, said the Prime Minister could be hit with a heft fine if Scotland Yard discovers regulations were broken at the multiple gatherings he attended at Downing Street.
It comes after the Metropolitan Police confirmed "formal questionnaires" will be sent out by the end of the week asking party attendees at Downing Street to provide "an account and explanation" of 12 events take took place during the pandemic.
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Of these 12 events, Mr Johnson is believed to have attended six of them including a BYOB drinks do in the Downing Street garden, a party in his No 11 flat and a birthday event in the Cabinet room.
The force is also reviewing its decision not to investigate a Downing Street Christmas quiz in December 2020 following a new photo from the event published by the Mirror.
Mr Johnson's press secretary insists the event was a "virtual quiz" but failed to answer whether the photo had been submitted to Sue Gray's inquiry or not.
On Thursday morning Mr Johnson refused to say whether he will resign if he is fined for breaching lockdown restrictions.
Asked at a press conference with Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg to discuss Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Prime Minister said he would not outline how he would respond until the police investigation concludes.
“That process must be completed and I’m looking forward to it being completed and that’s the time to say more on that,” he told reporters in Brussels.
Pressed a second time, Mr Johnson responded: “I understand but we’re going to wait for the process to be completed.”
Former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings, who has become a fierce critic of the PM, tweeted: "There's waaaaay better pics than that floating around, incl in the flat."
Adding onto the pressure, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace admitted today that new pictures relating to partygate could emerge at any time.
Meanwhile, Scotland Yard said punishments are likely to be limited to fines and will not name people who receive the fixed penalty notices.
Despite this, Downing Street said it would inform the public if the Prime Minister receives a fine as a result of the investigation.
Mr Wagner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There were 12 gatherings being investigated; the person we know was probably at six was the Prime Minister.
"So if he was given a fixed penalty notice for each and every one those, I think that he would be given those sort of cumulative amounts until eventually the final one would be £6,400.
"So overall, and assuming there isn't a big £10,000 one for hosting a gathering in the flat of over 30 people, he could still be in line for over £10,000 worth of fixed penalty notices if they accumulate".
Mr Wallace told Times Radio: "Yes, there could be a photograph tomorrow, the next day or the day after, that's clearly what's behind some of the people's motives.
"How accurate they are, how much they are put in the right context, that's what the police will find out."
In another interview he dismissed "media reports" that the police were contacting more than 50 people about Partygate - despite the Met Police explicitly saying so.
He said: "The PM has said he will be full and transparent. He will notify if he is receiving any form of fine etc but he has also said he will publish the Sue Gray report in full.
"So I think we let the police do that job and its investigation, we let it follow its task and in the meantime the government will get on governing which it is elected to do."
In a statement on Wednesday, the Met said: "Detectives investigating allegations of breaches of Covid-19 regulations in Downing Street and Whitehall will by the end of this week begin contacting people believed to have taken part in the events in question to get their accounts.
"The officers, from what has been named Operation Hillman, will be sending formal questionnaires to more than 50 people.
"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."
