Sue Gray’s Partygate report is FINALLY published as PM feels the heat
‘I take full responsibility’: Boris tells MPs he is SORRY for Partygate after Sue Gray lays out ‘appalling’ details of staff fighting and vomiting – but PM denies lying to Parliament and says leaving dos kept ‘morale’ because they were ‘working hard’
Boris Johnson is bracing after the release of mandarin Sue Gray’s long-awaited report on Partygate scandalThe PM is expected to adopt ‘masochism strategy’ apologising to Parliament , the public and his own MPsTories have been waiting for the verdict of the senior civil servant before deciding whether to launch a coup Follow MailOnline’s LIVE BLOG coverage of the Partygate drama HERE
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Boris Johnson today insisted he takes ‘full responsibility’ for Partygate after Sue Gray gave a grim account of drunken antics at the heart of government.
The PM told MPs that the government had ‘learned our lesson’ and he personally was ‘humbled’ after being issued a fine – saying he ‘renewed my apology’.
But Mr Johnson also denied lying to Parliament about the breaches, arguing that leaving dos were needed to keep up ‘morale’ while people were ‘working hard’ and he was ‘proud’ of the efforts of staff.
Saying he wanted to ‘move on’, the premier told the House: ‘I take full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch.’
Mr Johnson was heckled as he said ‘the entire senior management has changed’, and Keir Starmer accused him of treating the country ‘with contempt’. But the Labour leader was forced to deny he had broken the law as he was barracked over the ‘Beergate’ police investigation into an election campaign visit to Durham last year.
In her 37-page verdict, Ms Gray slammed ‘excessive’ drinking at a slew of bashes in Downing Street and Whitehall – many of which broke lockdown rules.
She describes how officials enjoyed karaoke, were sick in offices and even got into fights while the rest of the country was under harsh restrictions.
Ms Gray was particularly scathing about a raucous leaving party in Downing Street on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, when a child’s swing was broken by revellers. Mr Johnson was not present.
And former No10 principal secretary Martin Reynolds was warned by colleagues that a notorious ‘BYOB’ bash in May 2020 was a bad idea – but remarked afterwards that they had ‘got away with’ the event.
However, there was limited direct criticism of Mr Johnson himself, with Dominic Cummings complaining that Ms Gray had let him off the hook by failing to investigate an alleged ‘Abba Party’ in his grace-and-favour flat.
Mr Johnson said staff had been working ‘extremely long hours’ and ‘doing their best’ to help the country in the pandemic, adding to MPs: ‘I appreciate this is no mitigation but it’s important to set out.’
He added: ‘I’m trying to set out the context, not to mitigate or to absolve myself in any way.
‘The exemption under which they were present in Downing Street includes those circumstances where officials and advisers were leaving the Government and it was appropriate to recognise and to thank them for the work they had done.
‘I briefly attended such gatherings to thank them for their service, which I believe is one of the essential duties of leadership and particularly important when people need to feel that their contributions have been appreciated and to keep morale as high as possible.’
As he was heckled, the PM said: ‘I’m trying to explain the reasons I was there. It’s clear from what Sue Gray had to say that some of these gatherings then went on far longer than was necessary and they were clearly in breach of the rules and they fell foul of the rules.’
Responding to allegations he deliberately misled Parliament, Mr Johnson said: ‘I have been as surprised and disappointed as anyone else in this House as the revelations have unfolded and, frankly, I have been appalled by some of the behaviour, particularly in the treatment of the security and the cleaning staff.
‘And I’d like to apologise to those members of staff and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to apologise to them as well.’
The report included nine photographs featuring Mr Johnson, Rishi Sunak and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case.
Four are from the PM’s birthday ‘party’ in the Cabinet Room in June 2020 – over which he was fined along with wife Carrie and Mr Sunak. The politicians and Mr Case can be seen with a tray of sandwiches.
Five other pictures are from a leaving do for spin doctor Lee Cain in November 2020, where Mr Johnson is shown making a toast in front of tables loaded with booze.
The mandarin said in her conclusions: ‘The senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture.’
She said: ‘Whatever the initial intent, what took place at many of these gatherings and the way in which they developed was not in line with Covid guidance at the time.
‘Even allowing for the extraordinary pressures officials and advisers were under, the factual findings of this report illustrate some attitudes and behaviours inconsistent with that guidance.
‘It is also clear, from the outcome of the police investigation, that a large number of individuals (83) who attended these events breached Covid regulations and therefore Covid guidance.’
It is understood that Mr Case is not set to be sacked over the scandal, following rumours he could carry the can despite not being given an FPN himself.
Mr Johnson has drawn up ‘masochism strategy’ in a bid to defuse anger, giving a press conference after his statement to Parliament, and then addressing Conservative MPs this evening.
Ministers are hoping to shift the agenda on as swiftly as possible by announcing a fresh cost-of-living bailout as early as tomorrow that could be worth £10billion, part-funded by a windfall tax on surging profits at energy firms.
Among the revelations in the Gray report:
Former communications director Lee Cain warned No10 private secretary Martin Reynolds that a planned Bring Your Own Booze party on May 20, 2020 was ‘somewhat of a comms risk’. Mr Reynolds remarked afterwards that they seemed to have ‘got away with it’; Mr Johnson joined five special advisers in a meeting with ‘food and alcohol’ in his Downing Street flat on November 13, 2020, after the announcement of Dominic Cummings’ departure, but the report does not comment on whether it was a lockdown breach; Ms Gray slated multiple examples of ‘unacceptable’ treatment of security and cleaning staff; Former proprietary and ethics chief Helen MacNamara provided a karaoke machine for a Cabinet Office gathering on June 18, 2020, to mark the departure of another official;The report confirmed there was a fight at the event on June 18 and someone was sick. ‘There was excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation between two other individuals.’ Mr Johnson brought the cheese and wine pictured in a garden gathering on May 15 2020 from his flat, although it appears to have been a valid work event.
A group of pictures released by Sue Gray show the PM’s birthday party in June 2020 – over which he was fined along with Rishi Sunak and his wife Carrie
Deploying a ‘masochism strategy’, the Prime Minister will ‘take responsibility’ for lockdown rule-breaking in Downing Street, which is set to be savaged in the much-anticipated report (Johnson is pictured toasting during a Downing St event in November 2020)
Five other pictures are from a leaving do for spin doctor Lee Cain in November 2020, where Mr Johnson is shown making a toast in front of tables loaded with booze
After Sue Gray (right) concluded her report, Mr Johnson (left) told MPs that the government had ‘learned our lesson’ and he personally was ‘humbled’ after being issued a fine – saying he ‘renewed my apology’
MPs have been mulling sending more no-confidence letters to the chair of the powerful Tory 1922 committee – with 54 required to trigger a full vote on whether to oust Mr Johnson.
Mr Johnson is also facing an inquiry by the Commons Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament by insisting there were no parties in Downing Street.
That included specifically denying anything happened on November 13, 2020, when there is photographic evidence that he gave a speech and made a toast at a leaving do for one of his spin doctors.
The report was finally published this morning, around an hour after it was handed to the PM.
Among the damning details in the report are that former communications chief Lee Cain warned Martin Reynolds and Dominic Cummings a planned Bring Your Own Booze party on May 20 2020 was ‘somewhat of a comms risk’, and pushed for it to be cancelled.
According to the investigation, Mr Cain sent an email to Mr Cummings and Mr Reynolds which said: ‘I’m sure it will be fine – and I applaud the gesture – but a 200 odd person invitation for drinks in the garden of no 10 is somewhat of a comms risk in the current environment.’
The report adds: ‘Lee Cain says he subsequently spoke to Martin Reynolds and advised him that the event should be cancelled.
‘Martin Reynolds does not recall any such conversation.
‘In addition, Dominic Cummings has also said that he too raised concerns, in writing. We have not found any documentary evidence of this.’
A No 10 special adviser warned the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, that it would be ‘helpful’ if people avoided ‘walking around with bottles of wine’ ahead of the Bring Your Own Booze party on May 20 2020 as it was taking place after a press conference, the Sue Gray report has said.
The report states: ‘[A] No 10 special adviser sent a message to Martin Reynolds by WhatsApp at 14.08 stating ‘Drinks this eve is a lovely idea so I’ve shared with the E & V team who are in the office. Just to flag that the press conference will probably be finishing around that time, so helpful if people can be mindful of that as speakers and cameras are leaving, not walking around waving bottles of wine etc.’
‘Martin Reynolds replied ‘Will do my best!”
Mr Reynolds boasted ‘we seem to have got away with’ the BYOB garden party in a WhatsApp message to a special adviser.
A No10 special adviser thanked Mr Reynolds for ‘providing the wine’, saying it was ‘a very kind thing to do and I know everyone really appreciated it.’
In another WhatsApp on an unknown date to a special adviser, Mr Reynolds wrote: ‘Best of luck – a complete non story but better than them focusing on our drinks (which we seem to have got away with).’
Mr Johnson brought the cheese and wine pictured in a garden gathering on May 15 2020 from his flat, the report said – but it appears to have been a work meeting.
Ms Gray wrote that the Prime Minister and advisers had a lengthy meeting in his office following a press conference before moving into the garden.
‘The Prime Minister brought cheese and wine from his flat. The outdoor part of the meeting lasted for 40 minutes to an hour and they were briefly joined by the Prime Minister’s wife, during which time the photograph was taken. Martin Reynolds subsequently returned to the office to continue working,’ she wrote.
‘The Prime Minister remained in the garden until around 19.20. There is a further group of four individuals sitting at a table on the terrace. It has not been possible to identify these individuals, but there is no reason to suggest that this was anything other than a further work meeting.’
Sir Keir urged Conservative MPs to do ‘their bit’ and tell Mr Johnson that ‘this has gone on too long’.
Sir Keir said: ‘I have been clear what leadership looks like. I haven’t broken any rules and any attempt to compare a perfectly legal takeaway while working to this catalogue of criminality looks even more ridiculous today.
‘But if the police decide otherwise, I will do the decent thing and step down. The public need to know that not all politicians are the same. That not all politicians put themselves above their country. That honesty integrity and accountability matter.’
Tory critics have hinted they may use Partygate to execute a coup.
Tom Tugendhat, the only senior Tory to confirm he wants to be leader, said he was ‘talking to colleagues’ about the PM’s future.
Former Tory chief whip Mark Harper plunged the knife in, saying it was ‘not just the events, it’s the fact he’s not been straightforward about it’.
Tory veteran Sir Roger Gale added: ‘He misled us from the despatch box. And, honourably, there is one answer.’
One leading rebel said: ‘A lot of the 2019 intake are getting very unhappy… they are beginning to see that they will not hold their seats if Boris stays.
‘The question is, have they got the guts to do something about it?’
Mr Johnson, his wife Carrie and Mr Sunak were each fined £50 for their attendance at a so-called ‘birthday party’ in the Cabinet Room where the PM was presented with a cake between meetings at a time when indoor gatherings were banned.
The Metropolitan Police have faced questions this week over the failure to issue Mr Johnson with more fixed penalty notices following the emergence of a photo showing him raising a glass at a lockdown leaving do for outgoing communications chief Lee Cain in November 2020.
Others at the event were fined, but Mr Johnson was not penalised. There was speculation yesterday that he may have escaped because the event took place in the building where he lives.
Meanwhile, No10 denied swirling claims that Mr Johnson urged Ms Gray to drop plans to publish her report in a private meeting earlier this month.
The Times reported that the Prime Minister suggested to the senior civil servant that there was no longer any point in releasing her findings as the facts were ‘all out there’.
But Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said yesterday: ‘This was a legitimate meeting about the process [of publication] rather than the contents of report.
‘The Prime Minister did not ask her to drop the report or not proceed with the report. It was the Prime Minister who commissioned the report. He wants the report to be published.’
Downing Street staff have broken cover to claim they only joined in lockdown parties because Mr Johnson ‘was grabbing a glass for himself’.
Three anonymous No 10 insiders described in detail regular rule-breaking events while Covid restrictions were in place.
Days after ordering England’s second national lockdown, images showed the Prime Minister giving a toast for departing communications chief Lee Cain on November 13, 2020. One witness told BBC Panorama: ‘There were about 30 people, if not more, in a room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people on each other’s laps.’
‘Unforgivable’ scenes were described at a party on April 16 last year, the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. Attendees told of a ‘lively event… a general party with people dancing around’ that became so loud that security guards told them to go into the No. 10 grounds.
‘Everyone grabbed all the drinks, the food, everything, and went into the garden,’ one source said. ‘We all sat around the tables drinking. People stayed the night there.’ The insiders said the events were weekly, with press office drinks put in the diary as ‘WTF’, standing for ‘Wine-Time Friday’.
One former official described often turning up at No. 10 to find it a ‘mess’: ‘There were bottles, empties, rubbish – in the bin, but overflowing – or indeed sometimes left on the table.’ One said a Downing Street security guard, known as a custodian, was mocked when he tried to break up a party.
‘I remember when a custodian tried to stop it all and he was just shaking his head in this party, being like ‘This shouldn’t be happening,’ they said.
Sources say Friday drinks had long been a tradition. ‘We saw it as our own bubble,’ one said. ‘Everything just continued as normal. Social distancing didn’t happen. We didn’t wear face masks. It wasn’t like the outside world.’
One said they felt they had the PM’s permission because ‘he was there’, adding: ‘He may have just been popping through on the way to his flat because that’s what would happen. You know, he wasn’t there saying this shouldn’t be happening. He wasn’t saying, ‘Can everyone break up and go home? Can everyone socially distance? Can everyone put masks on?’ No, he wasn’t telling anybody that. He was grabbing a glass for himself.’
May 15, 2020 – Boris’s ‘cheese and wine’ party in the No10 garden was just a ‘work meeting
The Prime Minister and his wife – apparently holding their newborn baby, Wilf – were seen sitting at a table with two people while another 13 were pictured with bottles of alcohol nearby at a table and on the lawn on Friday May 15, 2020.
The pictures, taken by an unknown person within the Downing Street complex, caused uproar when they were released late last year.
Ms Gray, in her report today, revealed that it was the PM himself who brought wine and cheese from his flat out to the garden.
The Prime Minister and his wife – apparently holding their newborn baby, Wilf – were seen sitting at a table with two people while another 13 were pictured with bottles of alcohol nearby at a table and on the lawn on Friday May 15, 2020
But she also cleared him of wrongdoing, saying: ‘At a table on the terrace, the Prime Minister, Martin Reynolds (his Principal Private Secretary), and Dominic Cummings (his senior adviser) were continuing a lengthy meeting that had started in the Prime Ministers office, before moving to the garden at around 18.00.
‘The Prime Minister brought cheese and wine from his flat. The outdoor part of the meeting lasted for 40 minutes to an hour and they were briefly joined by the Prime Ministers wife, during which time the photograph was taken.
‘Martin Reynolds subsequently returned to the office to continue working. The Prime Minister remained in the garden until around 19.20.’
‘There is a further group of four individuals sitting at a table on the terrace. It ha s not been possible to identify these individuals, but there is no reason to suggest that this was anything other than a further work meeting.’
May 20: Bring your own booze garden party that No10 though it ‘got away with’
A leaked email from senior civil servant Martin Reynolds to around 200 Downing Street employees invited them to ‘bring your own booze’ for an evening gathering.
It followed a press conference in which then Health Secretary Matt Hancock had warned people to take precautions against catching the virus.
It read: ‘Hi all, After what has been an incredibly busy period we thought it would be nice to make the most of this lovely weather and have some socially distanced drinks in the garden this evening. Please join us from 6pm and bring your own booze!’
The PM has admitted attending the gathering, which amounted to between 30 and 40 people. He previously insisted he believed it was a work event which could ‘technically’ have been within the rules. No10 told Sue Gray the event was for ‘boosting staff morale following a challenging period for staff’ during the pandemic.
The report found that he attended for around 30 minutes before returning to his office for a 6.30pm meeting.
Ms Gray was handed further emails sent around inside No 10 beforehand that highlight the excitement at what was to come.
One No10 adviser replied: ‘Drinks this eve is a lovely idea so I’ve shared with the E & V team who are in the office. Just to flag that the press conference will probably be finishing around that time, so helpful if people can be mindful of that as speakers and cameras are leaving, not walking around waving bottles of wine etc.’
She said that Mr Reynolds replied: ‘Will do my best!….’
However others urged caution. One No 10 Director declined the invitation and told the investigation that they had raised with either Martin Reynolds or his office that it was not a good idea.
Also, Lee Cain, at that time No 10’s director of communications emailed Martin Reynolds saying: ‘I’m sure it will be fine – and I applaud the gesture – but a 200 odd person invitation for drinks in the garden of no 10 is somewhat of a comms risk in the current environment.’
Ms Gray added: ‘Lee Cain says he subsequently spoke to Martin Reynolds and advised him that the event should be cancelled. Martin Reynolds does not recall any such conversation. In addition, Dominic Cummings has also said that he too raised concerns, in writing. We have not found any documentary evidence of this.’
The report found that after the party Mr Reynolds sent a message to an adviser suggesting they had ‘got away with’ the event because no one had raised public questions.
Scotland Yard handed out fines to some of those who attended this event.
June 18, 2020: Karaoke, fighting and vomiting at leaving ‘drinks that are not drinks’
Officials partied and sang karaoke to mark the departure of a No10 aide. In an astonishing development the report reveals that Helen MacNamara, the Deputy Cabinet Secretary, and a former ethics chief, was the person who brought the karaoke machine.
The event was apparently held to mark the departure of a Number 10 private secretary. Gatherings of to or more persons indoors and more than six outdoors were prohibited at the time. It started in the Cabinet Room, where there were booze and speeches as people socialised for around an hour.
Later, the report confirms, they moved on to the offices of Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in 70 Whitehall, where there was ‘alcohol, food and music’.
Ms Gray reported: ‘The event lasted for a number of hours. There was excessive alcohol consumption by some individuals. One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation between two other individuals.’
Mr Reynolds is again at the heart of this event. In a Whatsapp exchange released by Ms Gray, he clearly is aware that the event would breach rules and potentially be a PR disaster.
Speaking with Mr Cain he asked: ‘Is it safer to do a larger event indoors but with some people carrying on outside afterwards?
Cain replied: ‘I’m not sure it works at all to be honest, which would be a shame. I don’t see how we can have some kind of party though..’
Asked by Reynolds if they should scrap the idea, Cain adds: ‘Its your decision my friend, not mind [sic]! But it obviously comes with rather substantial comms risks.’
Another adviser emailed Reynolds with a question about ‘your drinks which aren’t drinks’.
June 19: Boris Johnson’s surprise birthday party – with cake and fines
Downing Street admitted staff ‘gathered briefly’ in the Cabinet Room after a meeting.
The PM, his wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have all received fines for attending.
Ms Gray today released pictures of the PM and Chancellor at the event. The PM is shown with a beer in his hand.
Despite some attempts by officials to suggest there was no cake, a celebratory sponge is explicitly mentioned in messages.
Former No10 aide Cleo Watson told the inquiry she was asked to arrange the party, but does not say who by. Mrs Johnson has been accused of arranging it as a surprise for his 56th birthday.
Beforehand she messaged Mr Reynolds, saying: ‘Hi! PM birthday today – we’ve organised some sandwiches and cake for about 1pm in the Cabinet Room if anyone from your team would like to pop in and wish him a happy birthday.’
Ms Gray today released pictures of the PM and Chancellor at the event. The PM is shown with a beer in his hand.
The PM, his wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak have all received fines for attending.
Former No10 aide Cleo Watson told the inquiry she was asked to arrange the party, but does not say who by. Mrs Johnson has been accused of arranging it as a surprise for his 56th birthday.
Mr Reynolds later sent an email of his own, saying: ‘For the PMs birthday today we are having sandwiches and cake in the Cabinet room so do come along and wish the PM happy birthday.’
But Ms Gray pointed out the PM was unaware of the event in advance and it was not in his official diary.
‘He returned from an external visit to No10 Downing Street at approximately 14.20 and was taken into the Cabinet Room which had been set up with sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks and cans of beer,’ she said.
‘Those attending included No 10 officials and Mrs. Johnson. The Permanent Secretary for Covid and Pandemic Response, Simon Case, attended for a short period having arrived early for a meeting which was due to take place in the Cabinet room.
‘The Chancellor was also there briefly having also arrived early for the same meeting. He had no advance knowledge about what had been planned.
‘The event lasted between 14.25 and 14.45, throughout which the Prime Minister was present. Those attending consumed food and drink, and some drank alcohol. There are photographs of the event.’
We thought it was OK because Boris was there too, say No. 10 staffers
Downing Street staff have broken cover to say they only joined in lockdown parties because Boris Johnson ‘was grabbing a glass for himself’.
Three anonymous No 10 insiders described in detail regular rule-breaking events while Covid restrictions were in place.
Their evidence to BBC Panorama last night came ahead of the publication of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report into Partygate, which is expected today.
Mr Johnson was already under renewed pressure after images obtained by ITV News showed him raising a glass while surrounded by colleagues and bottles of wine.
Days after ordering England’s second national lockdown, images showed the Prime Minister giving a toast for departing communications chief Lee Cain on November 13, 2020. One witness said: ‘There were about 30 people, if not more, in a room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people on each other’s laps.’
‘Unforgivable’ scenes were described at a party on April 16 last year, the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. Attendees told of a ‘lively event… a general party with people dancing around’ that became so loud that security guards told them to go into the No. 10 grounds.
‘Everyone grabbed all the drinks, the food, everything, and went into the garden,’ one source said. ‘We all sat around the tables drinking. People stayed the night there.’ The insiders said the events were weekly, with press office drinks put in the diary as ‘WTF’, standing for ‘Wine-Time Friday’.
One former official described often turning up at No. 10 to find it a ‘mess’: ‘There were bottles, empties, rubbish – in the bin, but overflowing – or indeed sometimes left on the table.’ One said a Downing Street security guard, known as a custodian, was mocked when he tried to break up a party.
‘I remember when a custodian tried to stop it all and he was just shaking his head in this party, being like ‘This shouldn’t be happening,’ they said.
Sources say Friday drinks had long been a tradition. ‘We saw it as our own bubble,’ one said. ‘Everything just continued as normal. Social distancing didn’t happen. We didn’t wear face masks. It wasn’t like the outside world.’
One said they felt they had the PM’s permission because ‘he was there’, adding: ‘He may have just been popping through on the way to his flat because that’s what would happen. You know, he wasn’t there saying this shouldn’t be happening. He wasn’t saying, ‘Can everyone break up and go home? Can everyone socially distance? Can everyone put masks on?’ No, he wasn’t telling anybody that. He was grabbing a glass for himself.’
One staffer described watching Mr Johnson denying wrongdoing in the House of Commons: ‘We just sort of looked at each other in disbelief like – why? Why is he denying this when we’ve been with him this entire time, we knew that the rules had been broken, we knew these parties happened?’
One said younger members of the team ‘did not think they were breaking the rules at the time because the Prime Minister was at [the events], some of the most senior civil servants in the country were at them – and were indeed organising some of them’.
