Sue Gray report: Downing Street parties 'represent a serious failure'
The report says some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is 'difficult to justify'.
Last updated 31st Jan 2022
The initial findings from Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street have been released.
In the report she describes some of the gatherings as " 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"
She also described some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings as 'difficult to justify'
General findings from Sue Gray's report
Here are Sue Gray's general findings from the report:
- "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."
- "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 use of the garden at No 10 Downing Street should be primarily for the Prime Minister and the private residents of No 10 and No 11 Downing Street. During the pandemic it was often used as an extension of the workplace as a more covid secure means of holding group meetings in a ventilated space. This was a sensible measure that staff appreciated, but the garden was also used for gatherings without clear authorisation or oversight. This was not appropriate. Any official access to the space, including for meetings, should be by invitation only and in a controlled environment."
- "Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so. No member of staff should feel unable to report or challenge poor conduct where they witness it. There should be easier ways for staff to raise such concerns informally, outside of the line management chain."
- "The number of staff working in No 10 Downing Street has steadily increased in recent years. In terms of size, scale and range of responsibility it is now more akin to a small Government Department than purely a dedicated Prime Minister’s office. The structures that support the smooth operation of Downing Street, however, have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of this expansion. The leadership structures are fragmented and complicated and this has sometimes led to the blurring of lines of accountability. Too much responsibility and expectation is placed on the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the Prime Minister. This should be addressed as a matter of priority."
Sue Gray's conclusion
The gatherings within the scope of this investigation are spread over a 20-month period – a period that has been unique in recent times in terms of the complexity and breadth of the demands on public servants and indeed the general public. The whole of the country rose to the challenge. Ministers, special advisers and the Civil Service, of which I am proud to be a part, were a key and dedicated part of that national effort. However, as I have noted, a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did. There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded.
No personal accounts revealed
In a statement, Sue Gray said she decided against the inclusion of factual accounts on what had been told to her. This was not due to the ongoing Met Police investigation, but rather it would have damaged the findings of her report.
Writing about her report, she said: "In respect of the gatherings that the Metropolitan Police has assessed as not reaching the threshold for criminal investigation, they have not requested any limitations be placed on the description of those events, however, I have decided not to publish factual accounts in relation to those four dates.
"I do not feel that I am able to do so without detriment to the overall balance of the findings."
Reactions to the report
As soon as the report was published, many MPs from across parties spoke out against the actions of the Prime Minister after reading the findings of the report.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey tweeted after the publication of the report that the Prime Minister needed to go.
"Everyone knows Boris Johnson broke the rules and lied to the country. It's time Conservative MPs did their patriotic duty, listened to their constituents and stood up for decency by sacking Boris Johnson.
"He must go before he does our country any more harm."
Similarly, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy took to social media to respond to the findings, again criticising Boris Johnson.
"During this crisis, our country needed a leader more than at any time since the Second World War," he said.
"We didn't get one. This report shows what we have known all along: The Prime Minister is a coward, a rule-breaker and needs to step down."
Chancellor to potentially face police investigation
It has also emerged that Chancellor Rishi Sunak was believed to have attended the party relating to Boris Johnson's birthday. According to Sue Gray's report, the gathering broke up as soon as the MP entered the room.
This party is being investigated by the Met Police and, as a result, it is possible that the Chancellor could be facing police questioning for his role in the 'Partygate' scandal.
Prime Minister to face MPs
Leaving 10 Downing Street, Boris Johnson answered no questions about the findings of the report, and had an expressionless face when leaving the building.
The Prime Minister will make a statement to the House of Commons at 3.30pm today.
The 'partygate' timeline
First party is discovered
Claims first emerged of a party in Downing Street at the end of November, when several parties were alleged to have taken place in November and December 2020 while England was in tight Tier 3 restrictions. A spokesperson from Downing Street then denied the party had happened, but it was alleged the parties were attended by the Prime Minister, something that Johnson categorically denied.
Allegra Stratton controversy
After denying that other parties had taken place, a leaked video by ITV showed the Prime Minister's press secretary Allegra Stratton appearing to joke about a staff party which took place on December 18th, 2020. The video, showing Stratton in a mock press conference, caused public outrage and condemnation and lead to Stratton's emotional resignation from her post.
Johnson seen attending garden party
After denying his involvement or knowledge of any parties in the Downing Street garden, pictures emerged of the Prime Minister socialising with other staff. The photo dated to the 15th of May 2020, where people could only meet one other person outdoors according to the rules. Johnson denied the nature of the photograph, saying that it had been a quick break after a long day at work. Stock picture for illustrative purposes only.
"Bring your own booze" party
The 'Partygate' scandal continued for Boris Johnson into 2022 with details of a "bring your own booze" party organised by Downing Street staff being leaked to the public. Responding to the allegations, the Prime Minister refused to admit he had been present at the party on the 20th of May 2020, but went on to say that he believed the party was a work event.
Kier Starmer hits back
With increasing allegations of numerous parties taking place in Downing Street, Labour leader Kier Starmer attacked Johnson during Prime Minister's Questions, saying that the man had "run out of road". Facing backlash from the opposition and from some in his own party, Johnson continued to deny responsibility for the occasions, but apologised to the public for attending. The Prime Minister then instructed that people wait for an independent report from civil servant Sue Gray.
Met Police investigates
It soon emerged that another party had taken place on Boris Johnson's birthday, when restrictions only allowed up to six people outdoors. As a result of the growing allegations, Dame Cressida Dick from the Metropolitan Police announced that the force would be investigating some of the alleged parties. As a result, Sue Gray's report was subsequently postponed from publication while the police investigation was underway.
Sue Gray's report published
On 31st January 2022 the initial findings from Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties in Downing Street were released. In the report she describes some of the gatherings as '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' and that the behaviour was 'difficult to justify'.
First fines are handed out
Following a three-month investigation, the Metropolitan Police announced it would begin to hand out fines, saying that lockdown rules had indeed been broken by Downing Street staff. On March 29th, 2022 the Met Police said that twenty fines had been issued to staff and would be referred to the ACRO Criminal Records Office, with more fines potentially being issued as more evidence is discovered.
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are fined
On 12th April, it was announced that Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were each issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) by the Met Police for breaking lockdown rules in June 2020. FPN for breaches of Covid-19 restrictions can range from £30 to as much as £10,000, but the three were only fined £100, with the amount they actually had to pay being £50 if paid within 14 days.
Boris apologises
On April 19th, one week after he had been fined, Boris Johnson addressed MPs and offered a 'wholehearted apology' for breaking the law. Labour branded the apology as "dishonest", before being asked to withdraw the remark by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. MPs were due to vote on whether the Prime Minister misled Parliament, but the government tried to delay the vote until after the Metropolitan Police's investigation concluded.
Police investigation concludes
In May 2022 Downing Street confirmed that the Met Police had concluded the partygate investigation and that Boris Johnson would face no more fines for lockdown breaches. Scotland Yard said it had issued 126 fixed-penalty notices for events in Downing Street and across Whitehall spanning eight separate days, with 28 people receiving between two and five fines.
Sue Gray report says senior leadership must 'bear responsibility'
On the 25th May, Sue Gray finally published her report into the partygate scandal, pointing to senior leadership in the Government saying they must "bear responsibility" for the culture which led to lockdown rules being broken.
She wrote: "The events that I investigated were attended by leaders in government. Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen."
Sue Gray's full report is released
On 25th May 2022, Sue Gray's full report is published. An initial report was released at the end of January, but the full report was pushed back until the Met Police concluded its investigation into some of the events. The report looks into 16 events between May 2020 and April 2021, it's reported that many of the gatherings were not in line with Covid-19 guidelines at the time. Sue Gray directly links failure of leadership at Downing Street to the covid rule breaking at the heart of government. It describes a series of events including one in June 2020 - which involved excessive drinking, someone being sick after having too much to drink, and a fight breaking out. There are also photos - including of the surprise birthday party in the Cabinet Room for which the PM got his one fine for. At another event, the night before Prince Philip's funeral, some partied until 4am. The Prime Minister said he takes full responsibility, saying there have been changes since gatherings he admits shouldn't have happened. He also said sorry for examples of poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. After the report's release, Boris Johnson said he was "surprised" to get a partygate fine and insists it would be irresponsible of him to step down.
Boris Johnson faces a no confidence vote
On 6th June 2022, Boris Johnson faced a no confidence vote. The vote was called because more than 15% of Conservative MPs (54), sent letters saying that they no longer have confidence in Boris Johnson as the parties leader, after the publication of Sue Gray's report. Alongside Conservative MP's, opposition MP's and party leaders called for the Prime Minister to resign. To remain as leader, he required the majority of votes which was a secret ballot.
Boris Johnson survives his no confidence vote
On the evening of 6th June 2022, it was confirmed that Boris Johnson survived a no confidence vote, which means he can remain in the role of Prime Minister. He insisted the government can 'move on' after surviving the vote in his leadership. He won the vote by a majority of 63. But 148 of his own MPs (41%) said they wanted him out, despite remaining in his position it seems his authority's been damaged.