Boris Johnson delivered a grovelling apology today after the Sue Gray report was finally published condemning 'failures of leadership...
Boris Johnson delivered a grovelling apology today after the Sue Gray report was finally published condemning 'failures of leadership and judgment' in Downing Street.
After the top civil servant revealed police are now investigating twelve bashes as potentially criminal - including four allegedly attended by the PM - he admitted that asking people to make 'sacrifices' in lockdown, and said he understood their 'anger'.
But he said he was now making changes to 'get on with the job I was elected to do', including creating an Office of the Prime Minister to support him.
And Mr Johnson bullishly insisted that he was 'delivering' on issues such as Brexit and levelling up.
The police cases include a gathering in the Cabinet Room for Mr Johnson's 56th birthday in June 2020, and what has been described as a 'victory party' with Abba songs in the No11 flat after Dominic Cummings was ousted in November that year following a power struggle with Carrie Johnson.
A 'bring your own booze' party allegedly organised by Mr Johnson's private secretary Martin Reynolds is also being looked at by Scotland Yard, as well as a raucous leaving do for senior aides on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral.
And Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has been dragged into the furore as a drinks event in his office is also under the police microscope. He has insisted he did not attend.
Mr Johnson is said to have been at his own birthday celebration, BYOB gathering, and two leaving dos for senior aides where he gave speeches.
In the document - which runs to just six pages plus annexes - Ms Gray said she is 'extremely limited' in what she could publish due to police requesting 'minimal reference' to incidents they are investigating.
And she made clear that she wants to release more information once Scotland Yard has completed its work - something No10 has so far refused to commit to.
Mr Johnson published the watered down 'as received' barely an hour before he makes a Commons statement at 3.30pm. He will then address a meeting of the Conservative parliamentary party in Downing Street at 6.30pm.
Opposition MPs immediately demanded the premier's resignation, saying he 'broke the rules and lied to the country'.
The Gray report warns that 'excessive consumption of alcohol' is not appropriate at the heart of government.
Her brutal conclusions state: 'Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the Government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify.
'At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time.
'At times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings, the risks they presented to public health and how they might appear to the public.
'There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times. Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.
She added: 'The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time. Steps must be taken to ensure that every Government Department has a clear and robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace.'
The report was worse than many MPs had expected, with rumours swirling at Westminster that key aides will have to fall on their swords.
Mr Johnson was previously said to feel 'reassured' that the threat of a successful coup against him by Tory backbenchers has receded.
But the crisis over Ukraine could overshadow the Partygate saga, with the premier visiting the country tomorrow and demanding Vladimir Putin steps back from the brink of invasion.
He has been assisted by fledgling signs of a recovery in the polls - although the Conservatives are still trailing Labour.
It has emerged that police are likely to hand out any fixed penalty notices to lockdown breachers without making their names public - an approach that could limit embarrassment.
In other developments during more political chaos in Westminster:
- Mr Johnson is expected to visit Ukraine tomorrow amid desperate efforts to defuse the standoff with Russia over Ukraine;
- New government sanctions are being unveiled that could target oligarchs linked to Vladimir Putin;
- Former Cabinet minister Lord Frost has dismissed suggestions he could become the PM's new chief of staff in a 'reset' after the Partygate report, saying he does not agree with the national insurance hike;
- Dominic Cummings has stepped up his attack on Mr Johnson branding him a 'babbling f***wit' and saying getting him out of No10 is like 'fixing the drains'.
Boris Johnson said 'sorry' in the Commons today after being hit with damning revelations in the Sue Gray report
The top civil servant's findings (right) have been released disclosing that police are now investigating eight bashed as potentially criminal lockdown breaches. They include a gathering in the Cabinet Room for Mr Johnson's 56th birthday in June 2020, said to have been organised by wife Carrie (left)
Sue Gray has finally delivered her findings on Partygate to the PM - but made clear she wants to release more information after the police probe completes
A protest outside Downing Street in advance of the Partygate report, which was released today
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