London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Sue Gray planning to name No 10 Covid rule-breakers

Sue Gray planning to name No 10 Covid rule-breakers

Sue Gray wants to name top officials who broke Covid rules at lockdown parties in and around Downing Street.

The senior civil servant is now free to publish her full report on the parties after the Metropolitan Police wound up their investigation.

The Met have not named any of the 83 individuals who have been fined.

But Ms Gray is contacting the ones she wants to name, ahead of the publication of her report, which is expected to be next week.

Those expected to be named by Ms Gray have been given until 5pm on Sunday to respond to information she intends to publish about them, it is understood.

The prime minister is expected to be among 30 people she is contacting.

Boris Johnson said it would be "entirely up to Sue Gray" whom she names when publishing her report, adding: "fingers crossed, that will be very soon."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said Mr Johnson had shown a "lack of leadership," and he should take "personal responsibility" for what happened.

Downing Street last month revealed that Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined for breaking Covid laws at a June 2020 birthday party for Mr Johnson in No 10.

It had been widely expected the PM could be fined again over other parties, but he has been told he will face no further action.

The Met has revealed some officials are facing fines for being at a party in the No 10 garden in May 2020 attended by Mr Johnson, for which he did not receive a fine.

The force has not said how many events in total attracted fines, or explained in detail the circumstances that led to individuals receiving them.

Its probe, which lasted four months and cost £460,000, led to 126 fines being issued for events in and around Downing Street.

Some Conservative MPs have previously said they are reserving judgement on Mr Johnson's future until the full Gray report is published.


If the individuals Ms Gray plans to name in her report object to what is being said about them, it could delay publication.

A source familiar with the report told the BBC her assessment could be that there were trails of evidence to suggest the prime minister was badly advised, and not necessarily aware of what events he was stumbling into.

An interim version of her report, published in January, did not name individuals but criticised "failures of leadership and judgement" and said some events not have "been allowed to take place".

Dave Penman, boss of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, told the BBC there had been "no rationale" to name people in the Met inquiry.

But he added there would be a "harder line to tread" for Ms Gray in her report, where she would need to balance "sensitivity around naming someone publicly against the important need for public scrutiny of senior officials".

However, he expressed greater concern over junior officials being named.


What's in a name?

Analysis by Iain Watson & Ione Wells

Ms Gray does not intend to name junior civil servants. But we're told there has been a "lively debate" on which senior names will appear in her report.

No official is under any obligation, even internally in government, to admit to receiving a fine.

But if their names are associated in the Gray report with one of the eight events for which fines have been issued, then some fear they will face disciplinary action - hence attempts to keep names to a minimum.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the number of fines showed there had been "industrial-scale lawbreaking in Downing Street".

He added that his opinion of the prime minister had not changed and that "of course he should resign".


'Too much time'


Sir Keir is still facing an inquiry into whether he broke Covid laws at a Labour campaign event in the city in 2021. He has promised to quit as Labour leader if he is fined.

Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said he thought Sir Keir's pledge was a "mistake", adding breaching Covid laws was not a "resigning matter".

"The rules were broadly followed in Downing Street, some mistakes were made," he added.

"I think this has now brought the issue to a conclusion, and that frankly too much time has been spent on it."

The Met began their investigation in January, after Ms Gray's team passed evidence amassed during their investigation to the force.

Ms Gray's team said 16 gatherings fell within their remit - with police going on to look at 12 of those they identified.

During their inquiry, officers examined 510 photographs, CCTV images, emails, logs of entries into buildings, diary entries and witness statements.

The BBC has been told that in her final report Ms Gray is likely to reveal details of events that the police either didn't investigate, or didn't issue fines for.

Government sources have suggested that Downing Street does expect photographs to be published in the report.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×