‘A government in chaos’: York responds to Sue Gray report – plus all the key findings
An alleged lockdown-busting party in Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat and a gathering in the Cabinet Room to mark his birthday are being investigated by police.
A report produced by senior civil servant Sue Gray catalogued a series of “failures of leadership and judgment” within No 10 and the Cabinet Office while England was under coronavirus restrictions in 2020 and 2021.
The publication showed “a government in chaos” according to one senior York councillor this afternoon.
Ms Gray was unable to provide meaningful findings because the police were now investigating at least 12 gatherings linked to government properties in Downing Street and Whitehall.
They include a “gathering in the No 10 Downing Street flat” on November 13 2020, the night Mr Johnson’s former aides Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain left their roles.
Police are also investigating the June 19 2020 event in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to mark the Prime Minister’s 56th birthday where Mr Johnson was “ambushed by cake”, in the words of minister Conor Burns, although he later insisted there was no cake.
Despite the limitations imposed by the police, Ms Gray’s update about the wider culture within the “heart of Government” were scathing.
“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,” she said.
Read the full update
“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.”
There was “too little thought” given to what was happening in the country at the time and “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.”
All the lockdown parties
Twelve of the lockdown parties included in Sue Gray’s pared-back report into gatherings held across No 10 and Whitehall are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, the document suggests.
The senior civil servant outlined 16 separate gatherings which were included in the scope of her probe.
Those being investigated by the police include:
20 May 2020
A gathering in the garden of No 10 Downing Street for No 10 staff.
18 June 2020
A gathering in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall on the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
19 June 2020
A gathering in the Cabinet room in No 10 Downing Street on the Prime Minister’s birthday.
13 November 2020
Two gatherings, including one in the No 10 Downing Street flat and another gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser.
17 December 2020
Three gatherings, including one in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office, a second in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall for the departure of a senior Cabinet Office official and a third in No 10 Downing Street for the departure of a No 10 official.
18 December 2020
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street ahead of the Christmas break.
14 January 2021
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of two No 10 private secretaries.
16 April 2021
Two gatherings, including one in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a senior No 10 official, and a second in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of another No 10 official.
Four gatherings included the report which are not being investigated by the police include:
15 May 2020
A photograph showing a number of groups in the garden of No 10 Downing Street.
27 November 2020
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser.
10 December 2020
A gathering in the Department for Education ahead of the Christmas break.
15 December 2020
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street for an online Christmas quiz.
Local reaction
Labour York Central MP Rachael Maskell tweeted: “The Sue Gray Report Cabinet Office update has shown serious failings at the heart of Government, including staff feeling unable to raise concerns.
“Rather than answering questions, it asks more. When people suffered and sacrificed, No 10 partied.”
Senior Lib Dem councillor Carol Runciman said: “This truly is a Government in chaos, and now as Number 10 backpedals on releasing the full report, the story gets worse.
“Whilst the cost of the living crisis is hitting families, social care and the NHS is continuing to face unprecedented pressure and the country is still grappling with the pandemic, the Prime Minister is at war with his own Members of Parliament and Downing Street lockdown parties are being investigated by the police.
“When people across York obeyed the lockdown rules, often at huge personal cost to keep each other safe as the virus gripped the city, the Prime Minister ignored his own rules.
“The extent of the rule breaking is clear to all. Instead of waiting for Sue Gray’s heavily redacted report, the Prime Minister should have put a stop to this chaos by taking responsibility and resigning.
“The Prime Minister has lost authority and is distracting attention from the real issues that people face. For the sake of the country, he must resign.”