London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Sue Gray's No 10 parties report will be published in full, says Boris Johnson

Sue Gray's No 10 parties report will be published in full, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has promised that the official report into parties held in Downing Street during lockdown will be published "in full".

But the prime minister said he did not know when senior civil servant Sue Gray's findings would come out.

"We've just got to let the independent inquiries go on," he added.

Ms Gray's findings are said to be undergoing checks by lawyers and human resources experts before they can be handed to the government.

Mr Johnson has said he will make a statement to the House of Commons once he has her report.

Labour is demanding that the entire findings, including the names of those attending and organising Downing Street gatherings, be released - and that opposition parties get enough time to scrutinise them fully before they are discussed by MPs.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "We will pursue every option to make sure that report is out in full."

The families of those who had died during the pandemic were "entitled to... the full truth from the prime minister", he added.

Separately, the Metropolitan Police have launched an inquiry into potential Covid law-breaking in Downing Street.

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

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

Ms Gray has spent several weeks looking into these and other events that took place on government premises during lockdowns and other Covid restrictions.

On a visit to North Wales, Mr Johnson was asked whether the government would "publish [Ms Gray's report] in full", replying: "Of course."

The prime minister added that he stood "completely" by "what I said in the House of Commons" on Wednesday.

This appeared to refer to the exchange during a stormy Prime Minister's Questions session when 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."

'HR confidentiality'


The stated aim of Ms Gray's investigation 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 official guidance says the "findings of the investigations will be made public", but it adds: "Following the long-standing practice of successive administrations, any specific HR action against individuals will remain confidential."

But, if required, Ms Gray has the power to "establish whether individual disciplinary action is warranted" against those involved in the gatherings.

She has referred some matters to the Metropolitan Police, whose inquiry is ongoing, as she is entitled to do if "any evidence emerges of behaviour that is potentially a criminal offence".

MP Pauline Latham says Boris Johnson should go if he is found to have misled Parliament


Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats have all called for Mr Johnson to resign.

Some Tory MPs have done the same, 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.

Conservative MP Pauline Latham told BBC Radio Derby that she and her colleagues wanted Ms Gray's report to be published as soon as possible.

"We want to get to the end of this," she said. "We want to get on with what we have to do. We need certainty."

Asked if she thought it would be necessary for the prime minister to quit to "draw a line under" the issue of Downing Street parties, Ms Latham, MP for Mid-Derbyshire, replied: "It would if he's lied, and I think he would have no choice, because if he's lied to Parliament, that's one of the rules. You do not lie to Parliament."

But Lia Nici, Tory MP for Great Grimsby, said: "People have said to me on the doorstep, '[Mr Johnson] is doing the job and we want to let him get on with doing the job'."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×