Sue Gray report release: How to read the Sue Gray report and what's included in Partygate report including conclusions on Boris Johnson

All eyes are on Sue Gray as her report on ‘partygate’ is expected to be published this week.

The long-awaited Sue Gray partygate report was published in full on Wednesday May 25th. The Prime Minister faced calls earlier this week to explain the purpose of a "secret" meeting with the senior civil servant. Reports have suggested the document, expected to be published in the coming days, will feature photographs of illegal gatherings.

It was also reported that top civil servant Simon Case will be particularly hard-hit by the contents, despite the fact he was not fined over the scandal.

It follows the conclusion of a separate inquiry by the Metropolitan Police into Covid rule-breaking events at the heart of Government, which saw a total of 83 people receive at least one fixed-penalty notice (FPN) each for attending events over eight separate days. Boris Johnson received just one fine, for his 56th birthday gathering in June 2020 when indoor mixing was banned, along with his wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Cabinet Office Second Permanent Secretary Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties is still awaiting full publication. Photo: Marcin Nowak/Shutterstock.

Here’s all you need to know about Sue Gray, her report, and when to expect it to be published.

How to read the Sue Gray report

The Sue Gray report was published in full on the UK government website on Thursday May 25th.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to address the allegations before speaking to MPs about the situation in Ukraine in the House of Commons in London on January 25, 2022. Photo: JESSICA TAYLOR/AFP via Getty Images.

You can read it by clicking here, or via the Policy Paper section on gov.uk, found on this page.

The report is 60 pages long and can be downloaded as a PDF.

The document outlines the methodology of Ms Gray’s investigation, and a series of statements summarising the general findings of her work, including comments on naming and inclusion of photographs.

Who is Sue Gray?

Having been named by in a BBC report as "the most powerful person you've never heard of", Sue Gray is the senior civil servant who has been put in charge of the inquiry.

Ms Gray currently holds the position of second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

She will publish her findings in a report, although Downing Street has been considering which elements of her work will be made public, considering a police investigation is also underway.

Ms Gray investigated the senior government minister Damian Green in 2017, with her findings triggering his resignation after she found he had broken ministerial code.

It was this experience in previous high-profile investigations that singled her out for this task.

What is the Sue Gray report?

According to a statement from the Cabinet Office, the main goal of Sue Gray's report is to "establish swiftly a general understanding of the nature of the gatherings, including attendance, the setting and the purpose, with reference to adherence to the guidance in place at the time". The inquiry was established to investigate events that took place over the last 18 months, particularly alleged gatherings at Downing Street on November 27th and December 18th 2020, one at the Department for Education on December 10th, and two leaving parties at Downing Street on April 16th 2021.

Since the beginning of the inquiry, it has also been confirmed that “credible allegations relating to other gatherings” could also be investigated. Ms Gray's team were able to examine "all relevant records" and "speak to members of staff" as witnesses, including access to emails, employees' schedules, calendar invites, and texts.

The Sue Gray report will be "very, very tough on the leadership of the PM and the senior civil servants involved" in partygate, the former head of the Civil Service has said. Lord Kerslake said it is "really important" that Ms Gray is not undermined.

Additional reporting by PA.