Keir Starmer has urged the senior civil servant investigating allegations that several Covid rule-breaking parties were held in Downing Street and Whitehall to publish her report in full, with “no redactions, no edits, no bits left out”.
In an interview this afternoon, the Labour leader said he wanted to see the full report from Sue Gray and the investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police earlier this week “finished as quickly as possible”, so that the government can focus on the cost-of-living crisis.
“We’re in this situation where the whole of government is paralysed because the police are now looking at what the Prime Minister was getting up to in Downing Street,” Starmer said, adding: “The sooner we get both the full report and the investigation completed the better.”
Gray is conducting an investigation into the ‘partygate’ scandal engulfing Downing Street, after evidence emerged that Boris Johnson attended more than one rule-breaking social gathering. He had previously denied any knowledge of parties, before later claiming that he was reassured no rules were broken.
According to an ITV News exclusive on Tuesday, Carrie Johnson organised a birthday party for the Prime Minister attended by up to 30 people, including interior designer Lulu Lytle who is linked to the No 10 flat renovation scandal.
Gray’s report was expected earlier this week but was delayed when the Met Police launched its own investigation into the Downing Street parties. In a statement issued today, the police said they have asked the civil servant to only make “minimal reference” to the parties to “avoid any prejudice to our investigation”.
Asked today whether the Met Police was right to make the request of Gray, the Labour leader said that there are “bound to be process issues along the way” and that “any issues of prejudice have got to be worked through”.
He added: “What I would say to Sue Gray is, let’s have that report, in full, just as quickly as possible – no redactions, no edits, no bits left out. I say to the Metropolitan Police: let’s get on with that investigation, come to findings and then we can absolutely focus on the issues that matter most to people.”
Sources have confirmed that Gray will comply with the police request and that she is now is assessing whether she is in a position to finish the process or delay. Waiting until after the police conclude their investigation could take weeks.
The statement from the Met has caused controversy. Left-wing Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy tweeted: “After weeks of refusing to investigate the government, the Met probe came when they knew it would delay Sue Gray’s report.
“They have now told Gray to remove all references to the incidents they’re investigating, i.e. the most serious ones. This is an establishment cover up.”
Commenting following the police intervention, Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford urged the civil servant to publish the report “undoctored” and warned: “People are understandably concerned that this increasingly looks like a cover up.”
Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said this morning that “any appearance of an establishment stitch-up” is “profoundly damaging” while a spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign, Fran Hall, said the Gray report has “turned into a circus”.
Tory MPs are reportedly also voicing concern following the statement from the police, claiming that the Met asking Gray to remove key parts of the report looks like a “cover up”. One Conservative MP said: “This looks really bad to the public. It really does look like the police are trying to cover up for one man.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme before the Met statement, Rachel Reeves made a comparison between Johnson and Starmer, describing Starmer as a “man of integrity and honesty who you can put your trust in”.
But while the Shadow Chancellor told listeners that “there is a question of integrity, honesty and decency” around the partygate scandal, she insisted that there should be a focus on tackling the challenges currently facing the country.
“What really frustrates me is we have these massive challenges as a country – the cost-of-living crisis, how to properly fund our NHS, how to get to net zero – all these big challenges, and where is the government?” she asked.
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