London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Downing Street parties: Boris Johnson vows to fight on as MPs await Sue Gray report

Downing Street parties: Boris Johnson vows to fight on as MPs await Sue Gray report

Boris Johnson has vowed to fight on as prime minister after facing fresh calls to quit over lockdown parties in Downing Street.

Tory MPs asked supportive questions in the Commons but the PM faced calls to resign from Labour and SNP MPs

MPs are still waiting to see the findings of civil servant Sue Gray's inquiry into the events, which had been expected on Wednesday.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir Starmer called on the PM to keep a promise to publish the report in full.

Mr Johnson replied that he would "do exactly what I said".

Downing Street has said it is their "intention" to publish the report in the format in which Mr Johnson receives it.

The BBC understands that Ms Gray's report is essentially completed, but she has not yet sent it to the prime minister.

It seems likely MPs may have to wait until Thursday - or beyond - to see the report.

Mr Johnson has said he will give the opposition parties time to study its contents before he makes a Commons statement on it.

Separately, the Metropolitan Police have launched an inquiry into potential Covid-law breaking in Downing Street, after being handed details of parties by Sue Gray.

At a stormy Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir said the prime minister had previously told MPs that "all guidance was followed" in Downing Street over gatherings during Covid lockdowns.

The Labour leader added: "So since he acknowledges the ministerial code [governing standards of behaviour and forbidding ministers from misleading the Commons] applies to him, will he now resign?"

Mr Johnson replied: "No."

He accused Sir Keir of being "relentlessly opportunistic throughout" the pandemic by shifting his position on lockdowns, whereas he had got all the big decisions right.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle had to step in several times to calm shouting MPs down, threatening some with expulsion from the chamber.

Amid continued noise, Sir Keir said: "The prime minister's continual defence is 'Wait for the Sue Gray report'. On 8 December he told this House, 'I will place a copy of the report in the library of the House of Commons'.

"His spokesperson has repeatedly stated that means the full report, not parts of the report, not a summary of the report, not an edited copy. So, can the prime minister confirm that he will publish the full Sue Gray report as he receives it?"

Mr Johnson replied: "We've got to leave the report to the independent investigator, as he knows, of course when I receive it, I will do exactly what I said."

The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, asked Conservative MPs to "show the prime minister the door" by triggering a leadership contest.

Mr Johnson has previously apologised for attending a "bring-your-own-booze" event in the No 10 garden on 20 May 2020, during the first lockdown, saying he thought it was a "work event".

Birthday party


Reports of a birthday party held for Mr Johnson in the Cabinet Room in June 2020 have also come to light this week.

Some Tory MPs have already demanded Mr Johnson's resignation, but many others say they are waiting for the Gray report before deciding whether to submit letters of no confidence in him.

At least 54 of them must write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to set up a vote on the prime minister's future.

Currently, if a vote of confidence in the prime minister is triggered there cannot be another one for 12 months.

The committee does not have plans to change the rules to allow two confidence votes within a year, despite reports this proposal had been considered.

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, repeated his staunch defence of the PM, insisting the reported gatherings were work events.

He added: "If people are working all day, they have got to eat, they have got to have lunch, they must be allowed to have a cup of coffee during the day."

Asked whether that needed to be wine and cake, which was said to be served at the events, Mr Rees-Mogg replied: "This issue about do people have [an alcoholic] drink when they are working is not absolutely set in stone one way of the other."


Watch: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer challenges the PM to resign


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×