Sue Gray Report RECAP: Boris Johnson faces Parliament as Downing Street parties investigation findings made public
Mr Johnson faced stern criticism from both opposition and backbench MPs for nearly two hours this afternoon, after Sue Gray's findings were published online.
Gray’s document was described as an ‘update’, as it lacked details due to the ongoing investigation into the parties by the Metropolitan Police.
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Hide AdHe was told he was a "man without shame" by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, while SNP Westminister leader Ian Blackford accused him of having "wilfully misled" the House over the alleged parties.
Here is The Scotsman’s RECAP on the events of the day.
Sue Gray Report RECAP: Downing Street parties investigation findings made public
Police investigating Downing Street parties have been given more than 300 photos and 500 pieces of paper, Metropolitan Police Commander Catherine Roper said.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Boris Johnson should have offered his resignation.
He told the PA news agency: “I think the public’s reaction is that here is a Prime Minister that set the rules that everybody else had to abide by.
“People couldn’t be with their loved ones when they were dying, couldn’t be with their loved ones in care homes, couldn’t hold proper funerals.
“And we have a Prime Minister that we now know has presided over the culture of parties in 10 Downing Street.
“Sixteen different parties on 12 dates, as revealed in the Sue Gray report, different dates having been referred for potential criminal activity to the Metropolitan Police.
“On the basis of that - there used to be honour and dignity in public life - based on that, the Prime Minister should have offered his resignation.”
Scottish Tory leader doubles down on resignation demand to Boris Johnson
Douglas Ross has reiterated his call for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister amid the fallout around the publication of an update to the the civil service investigation into alleged law breaking in Number 10.
Hannah Bardell, SNP MP for Livingston, said that the Metropolitan police were “late to the party”, and added that it was: “the same Met Police who were happy to arrest women who were protesting the murder of Sarah Everard”.
The session has now ended, after Boris Johnson answered questions from MPs for just short of two hours.
No 10 suggested an update to the rules governing Downing Street staff could include restrictions on alcohol.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the Sue Gray report “alludes to that and the need for changes to be made in that area”.
He said: “Steps will be taken to ensure every Government department has a clear, robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace.”
Cultural Secretary Nadine Dorries defended Boris Johnson in an interview with the BBC. She said: “He’s going to implement the recommendations, and that’s the right thing to do, because that is leadership” .
Alister Jack, Secretary of State for Scotland, has released a statement, reiterating his support for Boris Johnson.
It reads: “The Prime Minister has my full support. He accepted the findings of the report and he made a sincere apology. He has taken responsibility & undertaken to fix things. I have no doubt that he will do that.”
“Our focus must now be on the issues that matter most to people - recovering from the pandemic, boosting our economy and rebuilding our public services.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg said there was “obviously going to be more to come” in the partygate saga.
“But what the Prime Minister is saying is that there’s a big job to be done as Prime Minister of this country,” he added.
He said all information gathered by Sue Gray should eventually be released, including photographs.
He added: “The more people see, the more understanding there will be of precisely what went on.”
Asked what he would say to colleagues putting themselves forward as a possible successor to the Prime Minister, he said: “The thing about throwing your hat in the ring is you often find it is thrown straight back out to you.”
He added there was not a job available to take.