Downing Street parties: Boris Johnson says at PMQs he will publish full Sue Gray report

Boris Johnson has reiterated he will publish the full report by senior civil servant Sue Gray as he again rejected calls to resign in the wake of a police investigation being launched into parties held at Downing Street during the Covid pandemic.

Ms Gray’s inquiry had been expected to be finalised this week with widespread expectation it will be made public on Wednesday or Thursday, with questions raised in the past 24 hours of how much of the document would be published.

Pressed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions on whether the UK Government would publish the report in its entirety as previously stated, Mr Johnson said: “What I can tell him is we’ve got to leave the report to the independent investigator as he knows.

"Of course, when I receive it, of course I will do exactly what I said.

Boris Johnson speaks at Prime Minister's Questions. Picture: BBC Parliament

"But I can tell him that in the meantime, what the people in this country want to hear is what we’re doing to tackle the issues that matter to all of us – fixing the cost of living Mr Speaker, helping the people across the country by lifting the living wage Mr Speaker, by helping people with their fuel costs … and by cutting the tax of people on Universal Credit.”

Asked again by Sir Keir whether he would personally resign, Mr Johnson answered “no”.

The Prime Minister stressed he “could not comment” on the investigation launched by the Met Police and described the Labour leader as “relentlessly opportunistic”.

A painting that depicts Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson sits at the entrance to Downing Street in London. Picture: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Sir Keir also questioned whether the Prime Minister knew what damage his behaviour was doing to the UK’s reputation.

An indication of how damaging the Gray report could be for the UK Government came when Scotland Yard chief Dame Cressida Dick announced a police inquiry was being carried out, based in part on evidence obtained by the Gray investigation.

Foreign secretary Liz Truss had earlier said: “It’s an independent report, it’s a matter for Sue Gray when she sends that report, when she’s completed her work.”

The report is expected to be sent to No.10 on Wednesday, but if it is later in the day the Prime Minister may wait until Thursday before making a Commons statement and publishing it.

Sources close to the Gray inquiry expect it to be published in full, although ultimately it is a matter for Mr Johnson to decide.

The steady stream of allegations over alleged breaches of lockdown rules have undermined the Prime Minister, and many of his critics are waiting for Ms Gray’s report before deciding whether or not to submit formal letters saying they have no confidence in his leadership.

If Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, receives 54 letters – 15 per cent of Tory MPs – a vote on Mr Johnson’s leadership would be held.