Partygate: Boris Johnson ‘suggested Sue Gray abandon partygate report’ during private meeting

Boris Johnson allegedly told civil servant Sue Gray that there was no need for her to publish her full report into lockdown breaches in Whitehall.

Two Whitehall sources said the PM suggested to Ms Gray that it was no longer necessary for the full report to be published given the investigation by Scotland Yard into the Covid rule-breaking parties, The Times reports.

A source told the newspaper: “He asked her is there much point in doing it now that it’s all out there. He was inferring that she didn’t need to publish the report.”

Another source said: “They were exploring this idea of not having any report. It was being talked about [in Downing Street]. But politically they realised they couldn’t do it.”

The claims come after Downing Street admitted to requesting a controversial meeting between Mr Johnson and Ms Gray ahead of the publication of her report.

No 10 said it had called the face-to-face consultation earlier this month, despite initial denials, but refused to disclose what was discussed.

Confusion over who called the meeting between the pair has been rife, with both sides giving conflicting briefings.

Treasury minister Simon Clarke insisted on Monday (23 May) that it was Ms Gray who had called the meeting in the weeks leading up to her widely anticipated report, but hours later it emerged that the request came from “No 10 officials”.

The meeting was reportedly requested so that the Prime Minister could discuss the “timings and publication process” of the report.

Mr Johnson refused to comment on the details of the meeting during a visit to a school in south-east London, but said “of course” Ms Gray remained independent.

What has No 10 said about the meeting?

Downing Street said the meeting between Mr Johnson and Ms Gray took place near the start of the month and was arranged as it appeared the Metropolitan Police investigation into lockdown breaches was drawing to a conclusion.

A No 10 spokesman said: “It is understandable that there would be a need to share information on things like timings and publication process because obviously there is a process for No 10 and the Prime Minister that would flow off the back of Sue Gray completing her report.”

The spokesman sought to downplay the confusion triggered by Mr Clarke saying that the “technical request” for the meeting had come from Ms Gray’s office after the suggestion from No 10, but a different account emerged during a briefing of journalists in Westminster hours later.

Asked which side made the suggestion, a No 10 spokesman conceded: “No 10 officials.”

He said: “This was not at the request of the Prime Minister. It wasn’t framed in that way. It was suggested it may be helpful to have that meeting.”

“Obviously Sue Gray is independent, it is up to her whether she proceeds with any meeting with regards to her investigation.”

Downing Street said minutes of the meeting have been recorded but would not be released because “it was a private meeting”.

The spokesman could not say how many meetings the pair had shared, but said they had previously met around the time Ms Gray completed her interim report earlier this year.

Ms Gray has also been criticised over claims she has been “playing politics” and is “enjoying the limelight a little too much”.

Mr Johnson’s spokesman denied he agreed with the allegations attributed to his allies, saying Ms Gray is an “experienced civil servant” carrying out an “independent” investigation.

‘A new low for the government’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer warned of the government hitting a “new low” with attempts to “undermine” Ms Gray and her report, while the Liberal Democrats will try to pressure ministers to publish details of the meeting with a “humble address” motion in Parliament, as they raised fears of a “Downing Street stitch-up”.

Sir Keir told journalists during a visit to a London Sainsbury’s: “I always had a concern that as we got to the publication of the Sue Gray report, there will be attempts by the government to undermine her and undermine the report.

“That’s what we’ve seen going on over the weekend in recent days – a new low for the government.”

The Gray report will follow the Metropolitan Police inquiry into rule-breaching events in Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown restrictions.

A total of 83 people were fined for events spanning eight separate days, including the Prime Minister, wife Carrie Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who all received one fixed penalty notice for an event for Mr Johnson’s 56th birthday in June 2020, when indoor mixing was banned.