Politics LIVE: Sue Gray report to be stripped of details of Downing Street parties
Boris Johnson faced Sir Keir Starmer and other members of the Opposition in PMQs while the Gray inquiry nears.
Scotland Yard has confirmed it asked “for minimal reference” to be made in the Sue Gray report to alleged incidents on Downing Street the force is currently investigating.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIn a statement, it said: “For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.
“The Met did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation.”
Police launched their own probe into multiple events in No 10 after being passed information from the Gray inquiry.
We’ll have live updates in our blog.
Politics LIVE: Downing Street braced for Sue Gray report as Boris Johnson faces further questions
Will we see a confidnece vote?
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% of Tory MPs – a vote on Mr Johnson’s leadership would be held.
Boris Johnson’s allies appear to believe the British public is “utterly stupid”, the chairman of the Commons Standards Committee has said.
Chris Bryant told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the alleged lockdown breaches in Number 10 were a “pattern of behaviour” carried out while families across the country had been forced to “do without”.
“If I could just say something about this argument that Boris Johnson’s henchmen are advancing, that this is all small beer and we should all just forget about it… This whole idea that the Prime Minister was ambushed by a cake and all of that… I honestly do think that they think that the British people must be utterly stupid,” he said.
“The truth of the matter is that this is a pattern of behaviour.
“It’s not just one event, it’s dozens of events, and every single one of us can recite a moment when a family member had to do without.”
Shadow secretary of state for education Bridget Phillipson has accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of lying over the alleged breaking of lockdown rules.
She said the stories have made the UK an “international laughing stock” and criticised ministers for “coming up with ridiculous excuses” over what happened.
She told Sky News: “I don’t think we need Sue Gray to tell us what is absolutely clear to the British people, which is that the Prime Minister has lied and lied and lied again.
“He’s taken us all for fools, treated the British people with complete contempt, and we have this ridiculous spectacle of the Foreign Secretary and a whole litany of senior ministers paraded out every day to come up with ever more ridiculous excuses for what we all knew happened.”
The chairman of the Committee on Standards of Public life has warned that Boris Johnson could attempt “jiggery-pokery” by publishing Sue Gray’s report just before PMQs to avoid being questioned on its findings.
Chris Bryant said the Prime Minister was likely intending to “manipulate Parliament” once the report by the senior civil servant into possible lockdown breaches across Government is handed over to No10.
The Labour MP for Rhondda said the timing of the publication would determine whether or not the leader of the opposition could respond properly in the House of Commons.
Asked about possible delays to its publication, he told BBC R4’s Today programme: “I have a suspicion that that may be that Sue Gray noted that the Prime Minister was intending to do a bit of jiggery-pokery by publishing the report at noon just as he stood up for Prime Minister’s Questions and expecting the leader of the opposition in Parliament to be able to respond.
“I’ve seen this too many times when governments just try to get far too clever and try to manipulate Parliament.
“Sue Gray should publish according to her own timetable. All of her reports should be published in full, both the finding and the workings, because they will be just as important for people to determine what happened and that should be published with plenty of time for Parliament to be able to read it, respond to it and go to the Prime Minister with it.”
Conservative MP for Harlow Robert Halfon said he would like to see the Prime Minister “respond and take responsibility” following the news that Boris Johnson faces a police interview over alleged coronavirus rule-breaking parties.
Mr Halfon told Times Radio: “I don’t need Sue Gray or the police to tell me or my constituents of Harlow that what’s gone on has been pretty awful. We all feel let down and disappointed.
“We’ve just been talking about education and what I’d say is, I call it the three Rs, I’d like to see the three Rs from the Prime Minister.
“How he’s going to respond to the anguish and upset from the public, how he’s going to take responsibility himself and his own staff and how he’s going to reset the Government. I’ll wait for the parliamentary statement.”
Liz Truss has indicated there could be “security issues” which mean parts of the Sue Gray report are “problematic to publish”.
Asked if the report will be published in full, Ms Truss told Sky News: “We have been absolutely clear that we will publish the findings of the report.
“We don’t know the content of the report, so there could be, for example, security issues that mean parts of it are problematic to publish. But we will absolutely publish the findings of the report.”
When can we expect Sue Gray report?
Well that is the million dollar question.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said No 10 had still not received the Sue Gray report on Wednesday morning.
Ms Truss was asked on Sky News: “Are we right in saying that Downing Street hasn’t yet received the Sue Gray report?”
She responded: “That’s correct. And, of course, it’s an independent report, it’s a matter for Sue Gray when she sends that report, when she’s completed her work.”