'100 invited' to Downing Street garden lockdown drinks

Controversial: Politics & Govt Politics & Govt: In The News
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Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie could be dragged deeper into the Partygate row amid claims that a probe into illicit boozy gatherings will examine events taking place in the Downing Street flat she shares with the Prime Minister.

Mrs Johnson has already been placed at several ‘work events’ in the No10 gardens in 2020 where drinks were served, in apparent contravention of Covid rules in place at the time.

But in a further blow to the Prime Minister, The Sunday Times reported senior Cabinet Office official Sue Gray has widened her inquiry to include allegations that parties were held in his own official home.

The paper said that two senior Tory aides, Henry Newman and Josh Grimstone - both said to be friends of Mrs Johnson’s - visited the flat over No 11 on numerous occasions during lockdown.

Initially Ms Gray was said to have accepted the visits were for work purposes, however investigators were reported to have questioned why they were spending so much time in Downing Street when they were working for the Cabinet Office.

Mr Newman is a former protégé of Michael Gove who worked on Dominic Cummings’ Vote Leave campaign in the run-up to the referendum and is now a senior adviser at No 10. Josh Grimstone is a special adviser to Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove.

Senior Cabinet Office official Sue Gray has received evidence that Josh Grimstone (right) and Henry Newman (left) went to Carrie’s flat several times while Covid restrictions were in place. Mr Newman is a former protégé of Michael Gove who worked on Dominic Cummings’ Vote Leave campaign in the run-up to the referendum and is now a senior adviser at No.10. Mr Grimstone is a special adviser to Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove

A senior government source confirmed the ‘scope of the inquiry has broadened’ but suggested that Ms Gray was prepared to accept the explanation offered by Mr Newman and Mr Grimstone.

But a Whitehall source said: ‘Why are two spads [special advisers] from the Cabinet Office going to the PM’s flat to have work meetings with the prime minister without any officials present?’, according to the Sunday Times.

What a Carrie on … :roll_eyes:

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Censor fears as Boris Johnson faces new claims over wife Carrie’s parties

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19869458.censor-fears-boris-johnson-faces-new-claims-wife-carries-parties/

BORIS Johnson may censor parts of the report that could spell the end for his premiership this week, it emerged yesterday, as No 10 faced more claims over ‘partygate’.

Asked on the BBC’s Sunday Morning show if Ms Gray’s report would be published in full, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said: “The process for it will be for the Prime Minister to decide. I think [for] the substance of the findings there will be full transparency, and indeed he has said he will come back to the House of Commons and make a statement, so there will be full scrutiny.”

Asked again about how much of the report would be public, he said: “I think [for] the substance of the findings there will be full transparency, and indeed he has said he will come back to the House of Commons and make a statement, so there will be full scrutiny.”

Asked again about how much of the report would be public, he said: “I’m not quite sure the shape and the form it will come [in] but the Prime Minister has been clear there will be full transparency around this, so that people can see, and we would welcome that transparency.” He also hinted the Gray report could take longer than expected.

“If it takes a day or two longer – absolutely right. Sue Gray should determine that,” he said.

The report had been expected tomorrow or Wednesday.

Despite reports Number 10 is preparing for a confidence vote, Mr Raab insisted there was a “rallying of support behind the Prime Minister” from Tory MPs.

So, there’ll be no whitewash at Whitehall … :roll_eyes:

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@Tedc I would say not so in this instance Ted, there is so much information already in the public domain and BJs 'apology which in itself confirms something took place, any business as usual will be seen as a whitewash.

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Agreed, Meg, but, if the report is shown to the players, first, they will, at least, be able to create their defensive responses before the Media & the Public know about it.

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If the full report is withheld then I think that there’ll a “leak” - newspapers will pay a fortune for its’ undoubted exposures … :moneybag:

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Officers from the Scotland Yard’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command who were guardian No10 are said to have been ‘only too willing’ to provide accounts to the investigation.

Meanwhile, Mr Cummings has already revealed he is ready to swear on oath that Mr Johnson was warned that a ‘BYOB’ bash in May 2020 would break the rules.

However, the premier has signalled defiance, and has reportedly reunited a team of allies who helped secure him the leadership to shore up support among MPs. Wags have nicknamed the group - including ministers Conor Burns, Nigel Adams, and Chris Pincher the ‘Avengers’.

Oo-er … :037:

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It’s one thing straight after another at No10 just now. What a shambles, I don’t know if I should be feeling sorry for Boris or saying Tough. :thinking: :zipper_mouth_face: :thinking: :zipper_mouth_face:

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As we await the outcome of an investigation into alleged Downing Street parties, rumours have swirled about what it could contain. (1)

The latest reports from The Daily Telegraph claim Sue Gray will examine Boris Johnson’s official diary as part of her investigation.

(1) The visit to Peppa Pig World (obviousy …- :roll_eyes:)

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What a hideous, insidious little worm that Cummings bloke is.
No wonder they got shot of him.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-60122893

The Cabinet Office will not publish Sue Gray’s report while the Met Police are investigating events at Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown, the BBC has been told.

It is not clear how long this investigation will take.

The Cabinet Office put out a statement earlier to say the investigation by Gray, a senior civil servant, would be continuing while maintaining “ongoing contact” with the police.

The terms of reference of the Gray investigation say: “As with all internal investigations, if during the course of the work any evidence emerges of behaviour that is potentially a criminal offence, the matter will be referred to the police and the Cabinet Office’s work may be paused.”

Hello, hello, hello … what’s going on here, then … :017:

A late call for a police investigation delays the publication of a much-anticipated report … :open_mouth:

Is there mischief afoot … :question:

Or will reality bite for Mr and Mrs BJ … :104:

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The Cabinet Office investigation led by Sue Gray into lockdown-breaking parties at No 10 may be released sooner than thought after the Metropolitan Police reportedly signalled it did not object to the document’s publication.

Cressida Dick, the Met police commissioner, announced on Tuesday morning that her officers had launched an investigation into the “partygate” scandal. The development led to speculation that Ms Gray’s report would be delayed while police carried out their own probe.

But now reports suggest the Cabinet Office inquiry may yet be released in the coming days.

:041:

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Analysis: Huge bust up behind scenes over release of report that could end PM’s career

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

Is the former pub landlady Sue Gray about to call time on Boris Johnson?

The launch by the prime minister of her long-awaited report has been as chaotic as his much-ridiculed responses to the “partygate” allegations.

First there was no party, he claimed. Then he was “sickened” by the video of his former press Secretary Allegra Stratton mocking the allegations.

Then it was a “work event”, he said. And then “nobody told me” the “bring your own booze” party was against lockdown rules.

And now, with Sue Gray’s report, at first Number 10 signalled it wouldn’t be published in full, then it would be. First it appeared it would be delayed by the police investigation, then it emerged it would be published within days.

Then it would be published on Wednesday, with a statement by the PM immediately after Prime Minister’s Questions. Then Number 10 said the PM hadn’t seen it, so it wouldn’t.

But then Tory MPs were told to expect it on Wednesday after all, but the PM’s statement would come later, possibly at 3pm. Or maybe Thursday. Confused?

So why the chaos and confusion? Two reasons: first wrangling behind the scenes between Sue Gray and her team and Number 10 over whether the report should be published in full after all.

After all, the report is potentially career-ending for the prime minister. No wonder he and his inner circle had the jitters.

Secondly, there has also been a huge bust-up behind the scenes over the report’s presentation to Parliament, with fears that the government wanted to dump it in the Commons library only minutes before the PM stood up to declare he was in the clear.

What is clear is that the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, wasn’t having that and insisted on MPs being given time to read the report before quizzing the PM on its findings.

By all accounts, there was a showdown between Sir Lindsay and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg that appears to have been won by the Speaker.

What a shambles … :open_mouth:

Typical of BJ’s “reign” … :roll_eyes:

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What a shambles? No, what an opinion piece. Typical of Sky News if you ask me.

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More than 300 photographs given to police

Some news in now from outside the Commons. The Met Police has been talking about its investigation into parties in No 10.

Commander Catherine Roper, whose team is working on the investigation, says a “bundle of material” was provided by the Cabinet Office on Friday.

She tells reporters her team has been given “over 500 pieces of paper and over 300 photographs” which officers are now combing through.

Based on that they will decide who they have to contact as part of the investigation.

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I’m listening to Parliament now via the BBC’s website. It’s a total farce.

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Of course it is - BJ’s still PM … :man_shrugging: