Sue Gray: Failure of leadership over Downing Street lockdown parties

Sue Gray has blamed a "failure of leadership" for allowing parties to take place in Downing Street when the country was under strict lockdown.

In long-awaited findings, the senior civil servant says some events "should not have been allowed to take place".

Ms Gray investigated 16 separate gatherings - including three that were not previously known about.

Boris Johnson said he accepted the findings in full, as he faced questions and criticism from MPs.

In Sue Gray's findings, she confirms that the Metropolitan Police is investigating 12 events - on eight separate dates - for alleged Covid-rule breaking.

These include the 20 May 2020 "bring your own booze" event in the Downing Street garden, which the PM has apologised for attending, and the PM's birthday party on 19 June 2020.

And the police are also investigating a gathering on 13 November 2020 at Mr Johnson's Downing Street flat.

Asked by Labour MPs if he was at that party, Mr Johnson said he would not give a "running commentary" on something that was being investigated by the police.

'Excessive alcohol consumption'

Ms Gray says she has been "extremely limited" in how much she can say by the Met's inquiries, and she could not publish a "meaningful" report at this stage.

But she does make pointed criticisms of the culture in Downing Street among senior civil servants and staff.

She says some of the gatherings did not observe the high standards "expected of the entire British population at the time", and that too little thought was given to how gatherings might appear to the public.

She wrote: "There were 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."