This clip of Rishi Sunak answering Partygate questions is beyond awkward

An awkward clip in which the Chancellor gives one-word answers to a Sky News journalist has been doing the rounds on Twitter.

The video comes from a longer interview in which Rishi Sunak was quizzed about the economy and inflation.

At the end of the interview, the journalist said they have just a few seconds to spare. The last few moments of the interview were filled with quick-fire questions over the Partygate scandal.

Sunak was asked if he received his questionnaire from the Met Police yet.

“No,” Sunak replied.

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He was then asked if he expects to receive one.

“No,” Sunak replied, then laughed: “I don’t know”.

When asked if he believes he may have broken the lockdown rules, he once again replied with a firm no.

Finally, he was asked if the prime minister has his confidence.

“The prime minister has my total support,” Sunak said.

The interview follows the news that the Met Police will send “formal questionnaires” to more than 50 people in relation to eight dates as part of their investigation into potential lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street and Whitehall.

The Met Police update on the Partygate probe, dubbed Operation Hillman, came just days before the force’s commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced her resignation.

Such quick-fire questions remind of us of the old joke of asking someone to repeat “fork” five times, then asking them what you eat soup with. Given there has been speculation that Sunak might be eyeing up Johnson’s job, it certainly would’ve raised eyebrows if Sunak slipped up and answered “no” to the journalist’s last question…

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