Downing Street drinking culture, whistleblowers and who is to blame
Downing Street drinking culture, whistleblowers and who is to blame: JASON GROVES analyses what Sue Gray’s partygate report says… and what it means
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
(function (src, d, tag){
var s = d.createElement(tag), prev = d.getElementsByTagName(tag)[0];
s.src = src;
prev.parentNode.insertBefore(s, prev);
}(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/1.17.0/async_bundle–.js”, document, “script”));
<!–
DM.loadCSS(“https://www.dailymail.co.uk/static/gunther/gunther-2159/video_bundle–.css”);
<!–
ON THE EVIDENCE
WHAT SUE GRAY SAID: ‘We carried out interviews of over 70 individuals, some more than once, and examined relevant documentary and digital information, such as emails; WhatsApp messages; text messages; photographs and building entry and exit logs. This has also included searches of official records. As such, extensive substantive factual information is now available and has been compiled.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Although the published update is relatively flimsy and names no names, Miss Gray makes clear she has conducted an extensive inquiry and uncovered substantial evidence – potentially paving the way for a swift investigation by the police. The Metropolitan Police later confirmed she has handed it 300 photos and 500 pages of evidence to assist with its inquiries.
Pictured: Boris Johnson and his staff pictured with wine in the Downing Street garden in May 2020
ON LEAK FEARS
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘I will ensure the secure storage and safekeeping of all the information gathered.
‘I will not be circulating the information internally within Government, it has been provided in confidence to the Cabinet Office investigation team and it is important that this confidence is maintained to protect the integrity of the process.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: None of the evidence gathered has been shared with No 10 or other parts of the Government – and nor will it be, suggesting Miss Gray does not wholly trust others in the Government not to leak elements of it to the media.
Pictured: Sue Gray, who has been compiling a report about Downing Street parties
ON MET’S ROLE
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘The police have told me that it would only be appropriate to make minimal reference to the gatherings on the dates they are investigating. Unfortunately, this necessarily means that I am extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Miss Gray hints at frustration with the Met’s intervention that meant she was unable to release her report in full.
She says the Met’s insistence that she makes only ‘minimal reference’ to the parties meant it was impossible to say anything meaningful about the evidence. She considered ‘pausing’ the report but decided ‘widespread public interest’ meant she had to publish something, however unsatisfactory.
Miss Gray hints at frustration with the Met’s intervention that meant she was unable to release her report in full. Pictured: Cressida Dick
ON OMISSIONS
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘In respect of the gatherings that the Metropolitan Police has assessed as not reaching the threshold for criminal investigation; they have not requested any limitations be placed on the description of those events, however, I have decided not to publish factual accounts in relation to those four dates. I do not feel that I am able to do so without detriment to the overall balance of the findings.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Miss Gray reveals the police are investigating potential Covid breaches at up to 12 events on eight different dates.
She says the police were happy for her to publish details of the four events they are not investigating. But she decided against this, fearing it would soften the impact of her report by focusing on only the most trivial events she looked at.
Miss Gray reveals the police are investigating potential Covid breaches at up to 12 events on eight different dates. Pictured: Former prime minister Theresa May responds to a statement by Boris Johnson after the Sue Gray report was released today
ON NO 10 WORK CULTURE
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘No 10 and the Cabinet Office were at the centre of the Government’s response to the pandemic. Tight knit groups of officials and advisers worked long hours under difficult conditions in buildings that could not be easily adapted as Covid secure workplaces. Those challenges, however, also applied to key and frontline workers across the country who were working under equally, if not more, demanding conditions, often at risk to their own health. It is important to remember the stringency of the public health regulations… and that criminal sanctions were applied to many found to be in breach of them.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Some defended lockdown gatherings in No 10 as little more than an extension of work for officials operating flat out to tackle the pandemic.
Miss Gray suggests she does not accept this as a reasonable excuse for breaking the ‘stringent’ rules imposed on the rest of the country, saying many others worked in ‘more demanding’ roles without resorting to bending them.
Some defended lockdown gatherings in No 10 as little more than an extension of work for officials operating flat out to tackle the pandemic. Pictured: Downing Street
ON STANDARDS
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘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… Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Miss Gray says it is for the police to ‘make a judgment on whether the criminal law has been broken’.
But she makes clear that she has found evidence suggesting that at the very least the spirit of the rules was broken by those making the rules. And she says ‘failures of leadership’ inside No 10 and the Cabinet Office were to blame.
And she says ‘failures of leadership’ inside No 10 and the Cabinet Office were to blame
ON WHISTLEBLOWERS
WHAT SHE SAID: Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so. No member of staff should feel unable to report or challenge poor conduct.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Miss Gray makes clear she spoke to officials who were uneasy about the rule-breaking but felt unable to complain because of the pervasive culture.
She also reveals evidence of two parties not previously in the public domain.
Miss Gray makes clear she spoke to officials who were uneasy about the rule-breaking but felt unable to complain because of the pervasive culture
ON DRINK CULTURE
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time. Steps must be taken to ensure that every Government department has a clear and robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: Boris Johnson has stated that no parties were held in No 10 during lockdown and that any gatherings were ‘work events’.
But Miss Gray makes clear that the drinking involved went well beyond the level acceptable in any Government workplace.
But Miss Gray makes clear that the drinking involved went well beyond the level acceptable in any Government workplace
ON WHO’S TO BLAME
WHAT SHE SAID: ‘The number of staff working in No 10 has steadily increased… it is now more akin to a small Government department. The structures that support the smooth operation of Downing Street, however, have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of this expansion. The leadership structures are fragmented and complicated and this has sometimes led to the blurring of lines of accountability. Too much responsibility and expectation is placed on the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the Prime Minister.’
WHAT SHE MEANT: No 10 has ballooned in size and no one really knows who is in charge any more. Miss Gray throws a lifeline to Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary.
He has been nicknamed ‘Party Marty’ for an email inviting 100 staff to a ‘bring your own booze’ party in the No 10 garden in May 2020. But Miss Gray suggests he should not carry the can alone.
No 10 has ballooned in size and no one really knows who is in charge any more. Miss Gray throws a lifeline to Martin Reynolds, (pictured) the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary
