Police seek limits to Downing Street parties report

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World

Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street

Reuters

The Metropolitan Police has asked senior civil servant Sue Gray to make “minimal reference” to events they are investigating in her report.

Ms Gray’s inquiry into lockdown parties in Downing Street had been due to be released this week.

But the Met has asked her to leave out details of parties they are investigating for Covid rule-breaking.

In a statement, it said it wanted to “avoid any prejudice to our investigation”.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick announced on Tuesday the force had launched its own inquiry, after being handed information by Ms Gray.

It has since been unclear how much the Gray report would be able to say while a police investigation was under way.

In a statement on Friday, the Met insisted it had not asked for Ms Gray’s report to be delayed.

The force added it had not requested “any limitations” on what her report says about gatherings that are not being investigated by its officers.

It has not specified how many of the gatherings covered in Ms Gray’s inquiry it has decided to investigate.

There have been media reports of 17 gatherings in government buildings while Covid restrictions were in place – but Ms Gray has not said how many of those are being investigated.

However, it has been confirmed that the events she is looking into include a “bring your own booze” drinks event in the No 10 garden in May 2020 attended by Boris Johnson, and a staff gathering to celebrate the PM’s birthday in June 2020.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman has said the PM did not believe he had broken Covid laws.

Analysis box by Nick Eardley, political correspondent

We had expected the Sue Gray report to be published earlier this week.

The Met announcing its own investigation threw a spanner in the works, which is still being dealt with.

For the past few days, we’ve known Sue Gray was talking to the Met and government lawyers about what could and couldn’t be published.

Ms Gray wants to send a copy of the report to No 10 which can be published in full.

My understanding is that Sue Gray still intends to publish a report.

But the timings are unclear and this morning’s statement from the Met will lead some to question whether the most serious allegations could be watered down.

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On Thursday, Mr Johnson insisted Ms Gray’s report would be published “in full” – although he did not say when it was expected to be published.

Labour is demanding that Ms Gray’s entire report, including the names of those attending and organising Downing Street gatherings, be released.

After the Met’s statement, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said Ms Gray’s report “needs to be published in full, as the prime minister has said it will be”.

Some Conservative MPs have demanded Mr Johnson resign, after weeks of reports of allegedly rule-breaking events in No 10 during lockdown.

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 Tory MPs must write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, to set up a vote on the prime minister’s future.

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