Downing Street Parties: Waiting for Sue Gray’s No. 10 Party Report to Be Probably Rolling Into Another Day

The wait for Sue Gray’s report on lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall to be released looks set to roll in tomorrow as the House of Commons closes its business – with Boris Johnson yet to receive the results.

Sky News understands from three government sources that as of Wednesday afternoon, the report has not yet been sent to number 10 as a senior official Mrs. Gray run it past attorneys, HR and Metropolitan Police to ensure the document can be published in its entirety.

This requires a delicate control process to be performed due to the duty of care facing Downing Street staff that may be implied in the report.

Prime Minister calls for release of ‘partygate’ report – politics live

The Prime Minister has promised to make a statement and answer questions in The lower house after the Gray report has been published.

But since the House of Commons has been exposed to the day almost three hours earlier than planned before noon.

Meanwhile, earlier today, the Prime Minister explicitly failed to commit to publishing the full report once the results of the long-awaited investigation have finally been received by Downing Street.

Asked at PMQs by Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer if he will release Mrs. Gray’s entire report prime minister replied: “We have to leave the report to the independent investigator, as he knows, of course, when I receive it, I will of course do exactly what I said.”

The government ‘intention’ to ‘publish it as received’

Sir Keir questioned the Prime Minister, noting that the Ministerial Code says that ministers who deliberately mislead Parliament are expected to offer their resignation

“Does the Prime Minister think this applies to him?”

Johnson replied: “Of course, but let me tell Parliament that I think he is inviting a question to a inquiry which – as you know, Mr President, I can not comment – and which he, as a lawyer, wants to know. that I can not comment. “

Explains: Who is the party’s investigator Sue Gray?

Sir Keir asked Mr Johnson whether, given that he recognized that the Ministerial Code applied to him, he would resign to mislead Parliament because of the fury of the party.

“No,” replied the Prime Minister.

Johnson’s spokesman said it was the government’s “intention” to “publish it as received”.

‘Security Issues’ with Report Release

Secretary of State spoke with Kay Burley earlier Wednesday Liz Truss said the government would release the “results” from the Cabinet Office’s investigation.

She said, however, that there could be “security issues”, meaning parts of it are “problematic to publish”.

Mrs. Truss also said Boris Johnson has its “100% support” as the Prime Minister faces calls, including from some of his Conservative MPs, to resign because of the partygate revelations.

The Secretary of State said she did not attend any parties at Downing Street and was not invited to any.

The crisis that engulfed the Prime Minister worsened on Tuesday when the Metropolitan Police announced that it was investigating a “number of events” in Downing Street and across Whitehall for potential breaches COVID-19 regulations.

On Wednesday afternoon, Conservative MP Mark Logan told Sky News that a “change in the infrastructure around the Prime Minister” was necessary, adding: “But I think if he digs – and when he digs deep – it is that we can make that change and we can get over what has been a few difficult weeks for the government and for the country. “

Read more: What could Sue Gray’s inquiry into No10 parties mean for the prime minister, and who will decide what happens next?

Uncertainty about the publication of the report

Expectations had been raised that Mr Johnson would address the Gray report’s findings in the Commons’ Wednesday lunchtime.

On Tuesday afternoon, it was implied that number 10 would publish the report, which was prepared around noon, and then the Prime Minister would make a statement in the Commons after the PMQs.

But the timing is still unclear.

The Prime Minister’s predicament has undoubtedly gotten worse – but he seems to be less at sea

Johnson’s situation has probably gotten worse since a week ago – new revelations and a police investigation – but he appears to be a little less at sea so far.

A senior neutral backer told me that they think the “Red Boris” operation does a good job. “They are definitely stabilizing the ship. The question now divides into two parts: does Boris Johnson survive for now, given the prospect of replacing him for grizzy and draining? And then he leads us into the next election? If we save him now, but he’s still flat in a few months, so that’s a question for later in the year. “

But all of these efforts could come to naught if the Sue Gray report provided evidence condemning the prime minister in the eyes of faltering MPs.

For all of Mr Johnson’s allies, there are plenty of opponents. It is known that there is a lot of unrest among the 50-man One Nation Tories, which were ousted by this Prime Minister and his team over Brexit. This group does not function as a unit and will make decisions individually, but it is fair to say that many of them are thoroughly tired of Mr Johnson.

There is also the band of 2019ers who were ready to write letters last week and are now waiting to see what Gray Report says.

And despite all the speculation about the report, no one really knows what’s in it except Sue Gray.

We do not know when it will be delivered to number 10, ready for publication, although the expectation is that it can come already tonight and definitely within the next few days. I’m told by government sources that Mrs Gray is checking the report with lawyers, human resources and the Met police to make sure what she’s sending to Downing Street can be made public.

Members of parliament must then decide whether they can fall behind him or encourage him to leave. He’s in danger. The best he can hope for is to avoid a vote of confidence, which will be triggered if 54 of his own MPs decide they have had enough and submit letters of no confidence.

But even if he can survive the coming weeks, can he ever recover in the eyes of the public and his party?

It was a little over two years ago that Boris Johnson won a majority of 80. Now he is in office but not in power. I have never witnessed such an astonishing fall from grace.

It is believed that many MPs are likely to be away from Westminster on Thursday, instead of attending ceremonies to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in their constituencies.

Opposition parties on Tuesday had expressed concern that if they were released today, they would not have enough time to read the document before a possible statement by the Prime Minister later in the day.

Sky News understands that Ms. Gray wants the report to be published in its entirety and that it will cover all of the alleged events, not just those not investigated by police.

Labor has called for the report to be published “in its entirety” – with Sir Keir saying anything less would amount to a “cover-up”.

The party could try to use parliamentary procedures to try to force the publication of the document in its entirety.

Such an attempt could take the form of a “humble address”, in effect a message to the Queen demanding the publication of papers.

Met Police are launching a criminal investigation

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick announced Tuesday that the force investigated “a series of events” for potential breaches COVID-19 regulations.

Johnson welcomed the inquiry, saying it would “help draw a line under cases”.

Sources have told Sky News that this investigation will take “weeks, not days”.

Read more: Which lockdown parties are Sue Gray investigating, and what has Downing Street said about them?

Downing Street has said the Prime Minister is willing to be interviewed by police but does not believe he has broken the law.

His spokesman said he was not aware police were asking to question Mr Johnson, but “as a rule, I will not get into people who may or may not be involved”.

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Pictures of No. 10 parties show PM next to wine bottles

Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg told Sky News that if Mr Johnson were to be interviewed under caution, he would “clearly be a suspect” as he is suspected of committing a criminal act.

Johnson’s leadership has come under severe pressure amid the ongoing partygate scandal, and he could face a no-confidence vote if more than 54 Conservative MPs submit letters of no confidence to the 1922 committee of backers.

Last night, it was implied that Mrs. Gray had received photographs showing Johnson and others close together with wine bottles when the COVID rules were in place as part of her investigation.

Downing Street Parties: Waiting for Sue Gray’s No. 10 Party Report to Be Probably Rolling Into Another Day | Politics news

The Prime Minister’s predicament has undoubtedly gotten worse – but he seems to be less at sea

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