Sue Gray report

Boris Johnson has rejected calls for his resignation after senior civil servant Sue Gray found he had presided over a culture of rule-breaking, ...

In the House of Commons, Labour leader Keir Starmer said the report laid bare the rot that had spread in Downing Street under Mr Johnson. When some of these officials and advisers were leaving their jobs, I briefly attended gatherings to thank them for everything they had done because I believe that recognising achievement and preserving morale are essential duties of leadership,” he said. Ms Gray described a culture of rule-breaking in Downing Street with staff enjoying after-work drinks regularly while the country was in lockdown.

Here, Sky News takes a look at her key criticisms of the government. Deputy political editor Sam Coates has provided his analysis on the most important sections ...

The adviser said in a WhatsApp message to Martin Reynolds: "Drinks this eve is a lovely idea so I've shared with the E & V team who are in the office. "This was noticed the next morning and reported to No 10 staff. The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this. It began at around 7.50pm and "lasted several hours". Ms Gray reveals: "There was excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. There was a minor altercation between two other individuals." "Given the piecemeal manner in which events were brought to my attention, it is possible that events took place which were not the subject of investigation." It began between 6.30pm and 7pm and had ended by 7.40pm. "It was also unfortunately the case that details of some events only became known to me and my team through reporting in the media. A Number 10 special adviser warned staff attending the 'socially distanced drinks' on 20 May 2020 to be "mindful" that the TV press conference may still be going on and not to have alcohol on display. "A cleaner who attended the room the next morning noted that there had been red wine spilled on one wall and on a number of boxes of photocopier paper." She elaborates by saying that many of the events she investigated were "attended by leaders in government" and "should not have been allowed to happen".

The report by Sue Gray said the public would be “dismayed” by a series of breaches of coronavirus rules in No 10 and Westminster.

“I accept full responsibility for my failings. It’s on him,” she added. - – Multiple examples of “unacceptable” treatment of security and cleaning staff, with individuals experiencing “a lack of respect and poor treatment”. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford branded the report “damning” and called the Prime Minister to resign for “orchestrating” the scenes in Downing Street. It happened on his watch. She also said there were “multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff” during the events, which was “unacceptable”.

The senior official's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street has been published in full.

Here's what she wrote about some of the gatherings: - Regardless of "initial intent", many of the events investigated were not "in line with Covid guidance at the time" - The pandemic "had a seismic impact on every aspect of life in the country", and restrictions were put in place to control the spread of the virus and keep the most vulnerable safe

Prime minister feels it is his 'job to get on with my job' despite report detailing major leadership failures at No 10.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, was one of the first Tory MPs to call for Boris Johnson’s resignation when the Partygate scandal first erupted. Then, when Russia invaded Ukraine, he retracted his call for Johnson’s resignation, saying it would be wrong for him to go at a time of crisis. If they reach a conclusion that the prime minister deliberately and intentionally went to the House of Commons to mislead people, then the ministerial code is actually very clear. To help achieve this we must recover the principles of mutual flourishing and the common good in the way we are governed. They’re obviously a group of very privileged people with limited experience.” “I think it is raucous and savage behaviour from the people that are leading us and supposed to be protecting us,” she added. Were any changes made, following requests, to the section relating to the gathering in the No 10 flat on 13 November 2020? Did anyone in No 10 receive a copy of the report yesterday, and were any requests made for sections to be removed or altered? We need to be able to trust our national institutions, particularly in times of great trouble. On [David’s] second point about the events on 13 November, I have addressed those several times. Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, says Boris Johnson should stay as prime minister until the war in Ukraine is over. It makes me embarrassed to be British. “The Government is completely out of touch with what real people are experiencing and it’s unsurprising. Safiah Ngah, 29, wept as she recalled how restrictions in place last February meant she was denied a final goodbye in person with her father, Zahari Ngah, before he died.

LONDON — A long-awaited internal investigation squarely blamed senior British government officials for lockdown-breaking parties in and around Downing ...

The prime minister has made clear that he has no intention of resigning. “But the biggest thing that has ruined Boris Johnson’s reputation is undoubtedly Partygate,” Curtis said. He added that he was “appalled” by some of the report’s details. But at least some of the attendees seem to have realized they were breaking their own rules. The police determined that 83 people violated lockdown rules, including the prime minister, his wife, Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Analysts say this is in part because there’s no obvious successor within the party. Even still, some critics suggested the police let him off too lightly. They were part of my job.” Beside him, the table is littered with empty and half-empty bottles of wine and gin. He still faces a parliamentary investigation into whether he misled lawmakers with those statements. After one party, cleaners had to scrub red wine stains from a wall. He said his attendance at some staff farewell parties was brief, and that he was “surprised and disappointed” to learn that drinking continued into the night.

Boris Johnson says he is "humbled" by Sue Gray's account of rule-breaking but rejects calls to resign.

And even when he was present and raising a glass at some of the controversial events, he was merely showing ''leadership" - wishing departing staff well. You can also get in touch in the following ways: It's his own MPs who will decide the prime minister's future. He has since left Downing Street, returning to his job at the Foreign Office. - At another party, in June 2020, there was "excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. He added that he had been "shocked" and "appalled" by some of Ms Gray's findings, especially over the treatment of security and cleaning staff, but it was now time to "move on".

Senior officials knew they were breaking the rules and boasted about getting away with it, report finds.

Even allowing for the extraordinary pressures officials and advisers were under, the factual findings of this report illustrate some attitudes and behaviours inconsistent with that guidance,” she writes. The party lasted for a number of hours and it was, according to Gray, a raucous affair. She found that senior officials knew they were breaking the rules, made efforts to avoid being caught and boasted about getting away with it.

Detailed summary of civil servant's report into lockdown-breaching parties in and around Downing Street.

The latter event, held in the No 10 basement, was especially rowdy, with music played and a number of people drinking excessively. The two parties later merged in the No 10 garden. Billed as a “wine time Friday” event, this was pre-planned and involved a mock awards ceremony and secret Santa gift exchange. One was for James Slack, Johnson’s then head of communications, and the other for a “private office official”, believed to be one of Johnson’s personal photographers. This was the event that included someone being sick and the altercation. This was for Kate Josephs, the outgoing head of the Covid taskforce. The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this.” This is the only event for which the prime minister received a fine. The morning after, Reynolds sent a message saying “we seem to have got away with” holding it. At a leaving do on 18 June 2020 there was karaoke, “excessive alcohol consumption” in which someone was sick and “a minor altercation between two other individuals”, with staff staying beyond 3am. At a Christmas party in December 2020 red wine was spilled on a wall and on stationery supplies. Gray opted to not investigate claims of a party inside Johnson’s Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray has delivered her completed report into Downing Street lockdown parties to the prime minister. The final report - which is 37 ...

You can also get in touch in the following ways: Nobody wants to be in this scenario, but let's get it done and move forward." Ms Gray contacted senior civil servants she intends to name in her final report over the weekend. I am humbled by the whole experience. We have learned our lesson." And our political editor says that the prime minister is expected to tell the Commons that he commissioned the report to set the record straight and "allow us all to move on".

A picture of Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report. Image: Sue ...

A culture of drinking and debauchery in No10, while the rest of us stayed home. The— Ian Blackford 🇺🇦🏴 (@Ianblackford_MP) #SueGrayReportlays bare the scale of rule breaking that @BorisJohnsonpresided over. But he said he had been “as surprised and disappointed as anyone else” by the revelations in the report and “I have been appalled by some of the behaviour, particularly in the treatment of the security and the cleaning staff”. And we are.” Labour leader Keir Starmer told the Commons that report “laid bare the rot” in No 10 and called on Tory MPs to tell Boris Johnson “the game is up” and that it is “time to pack his bags”. The report said the “senior leadership” in No 10 must “bear responsibility” for the culture which led to lockdown rules being broken at a series of events in 2020 and 2021.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he "overwhelmingly" believes he should remain in office despite public anger at the "bitter and painful" ...

It has not been possible to identify these individuals, but there is no reason to suggest that this was anything other than a further work meeting." Martin Reynolds subsequently returned to the office to continue working," she wrote. We have not found any documentary evidence of this." After a passage of time along with the Ukraine war, the cost of living crisis and the lack of obvious successor, it seems that despite the fairly damning findings there is no huge appetite for a leadership heave. The outdoor part of the meeting lasted for 40 minutes to an hour and they were briefly joined by the Prime Minister's wife, during which time the photograph was taken. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Martin Reynolds does not recall any such conversation. The report also said that Mr Cain warned Mr Reynolds and Dominic Cummings the 'Bring Your Own Booze' party on 20 May 2020 was "somewhat of a comms risk" and urged for the event to be cancelled, the report says. There was excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. However, Sue Gray's report has come late in the day. "No matter how bitter and painful that the conclusions of this may be - and they are - and no matter how humbling they are, I have got to keep moving forward and the government has got to keep moving. The report by Sue Gray said the public would be "dismayed" by a series of breaches of coronavirus rules in No 10 and Westminster.

The prime minister says he's "humbled" by the report but that he was unaware of what went on past his brief attendance at the gatherings.

The prime minister says he's "humbled" by the report but that he was unaware of what went on past his brief attendance at the gatherings. Mr Starmer said it was time for the PM "to pack his bags" and "restore dignity" to the office of the prime minister. "And with the exception of the event in the Cabinet Room, that is a view that has been vindicated by the investigation." The prime minister told MPs he had been as "surprised and disappointed as anyone else in this House as the revelations" came to light, and that he was "appalled" by some of the behaviour in the report. The prime minister said he and the government were "humbled" and had "learned a lesson" - and that significant changes had been made to Number 10's senior staff. The prime minister said he had attended to thank staff because it's "one of essential duties of leadership" and to keep morale as high as possible".

PM issues partial apology for boozy culture including wine spilled over walls and drunken staff told to leave by back entrance.

When Scotland Yard’s inquiry ended, Gray said she considered continuing to look into the event “but concluded it was not appropriate or proportionate to do so”. Tight-knit groups of officials and advisers worked long hours under difficult conditions in buildings that could not be easily adapted as Covid-secure workplaces.” At one point, Johnson said: “We are humbled,” but after being jeered by MPs, corrected himself to say: “I am humbled.” Speaking to MPs, the prime minister said he was “renewing my apology to the house, to the whole country”, for the birthday gathering in June 2020 for which he was fined, and took “full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch”. “Whatever the initial intent, what took place at many of these gatherings and the way in which they developed was not in line with Covid guidance at the time,” the report says. Sue Gray has issued a damning verdict on the party culture in Boris Johnson’s Downing Street, in a 37-page report that includes nine photographs and names a string of senior civil servants.