Partygate: Sue Gray report condemns ‘party’ failings at heart of Boris Johnson’s government and says many will be 'dismayed' by the scandal

A DAMNING inquiry into the partygate scandal has said the ‘senior leadership’ in Boris Johnson’s government must ‘bear responsibility’ for the culture which led to coronavirus lockdown rules being broke
By Tom Cotterill
Published 25th May 2022, 12:16 BST
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The long-awaited report by Sue Gray said the public would be ‘dismayed’ by a series of breaches of coronavirus rules in No 10 and Westminster.

‘The events that I investigated were attended by leaders in government. Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen,’ she said.

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The Metropolitan Police has issued 126 fines for rule breaches in No 10 and Whitehall, with the PM receiving a single fixed-penalty notice for his birthday party.

issued by the Cabinet Office showing Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.issued by the Cabinet Office showing Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
issued by the Cabinet Office showing Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.

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But senior civil servant Ms Gray condemned the wider culture that had been allowed to develop under Mr Johnson’s leadership.

She said some of the more junior officials who attended parties ‘believed that their involvement in some of these events was permitted given the attendance of senior leaders’.

‘The senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture,’ Ms Gray said.

Picture shows Boris Johnson (right) at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.Picture shows Boris Johnson (right) at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
Picture shows Boris Johnson (right) at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
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She also said there were ‘multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff’ during the events, which was ‘unacceptable’.

‘Many will be dismayed that behaviour of this kind took place on this scale at the heart of government,’ she said.

‘The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this.’

Mr Johnson will apologise to MPs in a Commons statement later.

Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
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The report issued by Ms Gray includes a series of photos, with Mr Johnson pictured at the surprise birthday party in the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020 for which he received a fine.

He is seen with cabinet secretary Simon Case and chancellor Rishi Sunak, with sandwiches, juices and what appears to be Estrella lager – in one picture Mr Johnson is seen raising a can of the beer aloft.

Other photos include the previously-seen images of Mr Johnson raising a glass of wine at a leaving do for his former spin doctor Lee Cain on November 13, 2020.

The prime minister will make a Commons statement later today, then hold a press conference to apologise directly to the public.

PM Boris Johnson (left) and chancellor Rishi Sunak at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.PM Boris Johnson (left) and chancellor Rishi Sunak at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
PM Boris Johnson (left) and chancellor Rishi Sunak at a gathering in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue's Gray report into Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown. Issue date: Wednesday May 25, 2022.
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He will also address a meeting of Tory MPs who ultimately hold his political future in their hands.

In his Commons appearance, Mr Johnson is expected to say: ‘I commissioned this report to set the record straight and allow us all to move on.

‘I accept full responsibility for my failings. I am humbled by the whole experience.’

He will say he has learned the lessons from the situation.

Ms Gray added in her report: ‘It is my firm belief, however, that these events did not reflect the prevailing culture in government and the civil service at the time.

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‘Many thousands of people up and down the country worked tirelessly to deliver in unprecedented times. I remain immensely proud to be a civil servant and of the work of the service and the wider public sector during the pandemic.’