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A picture of Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street on his birthday, which has been released with the publication of Sue’s Gray report. Sue Gray Report/Cabinet Office/PA

Johnson believes he should remain as Prime Minister following damning Sue Gray report

Sue Gray’s official report into the partygate scandal said the ‘senior leadership’ in No 10 must take responsibility.

LAST UPDATE | 25 May 2022

BORIS JOHNSON HAS said he “overwhelmingly” believes he should remain in office despite public anger at the “bitter and painful” conclusions of the inquiry into raucous parties in No 10 during the coronavirus lockdown.

The UK Prime Minister recognised that people are “indignant” over the damning findings of Sue Gray’s inquiry into law-breaking at the heart of Government but defied fresh calls to resign.

He said he takes “full responsibility” for the scandal but sought to play down his personal involvement in the gatherings detailed in the report by the senior official.

The Gray report gave details of gatherings at which officials drank so much they were sick, sang karaoke, became involved in altercations and abused security and cleaning staff at a time when millions of people across the country were unable to see friends and family.

Following its publication this morning, Johnson was questioned at a press conference on whether or not he had considered resigning over the gatherings.

He responded: “I overwhelmingly feel it is my job to get on and deliver.

“No matter how bitter and painful that the conclusions of this may be – and they are – and no matter how humbling they are, I have got to keep moving forward and the Government has got to keep moving. And we are.”

The report said the “senior leadership” in No 10 must “bear responsibility” for the culture which led to lockdown rules being broken at a series of events in 2020 and 2021.

The Prime Minister faced fresh demands to resign after the report said the public would be “dismayed” by the behaviour uncovered.

“The events that I investigated were attended by leaders in government. Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen,” Gray said.

The Metropolitan Police has issued 126 fines for rule breaches in No 10 and Whitehall, with the Prime Minister receiving a single fixed-penalty notice for his birthday party in the Cabinet Room in June 2020.

But senior civil servant Gray condemned the wider culture that had been allowed to develop under Johnson’s leadership.

downing-street-partygate Boris Johnson told MPs he took responsibility for the failings on his watch. PA PA

She said some of the more junior officials who attended parties “believed that their involvement in some of these events was permitted given the attendance of senior leaders”.

“The senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture,” Gray said.

She also said there were “multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff” during the events, which was “unacceptable”.

“Many will be dismayed that behaviour of this kind took place on this scale at the heart of Government,” she said.

“The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this.”

Labour leader Keir Starmer told the Commons that report “laid bare the rot” in No 10 and called on Tory MPs to tell Boris Johnson “the game is up” and that it is “time to pack his bags”.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner described the contents of the report as “indefensible”, calling Johnson’s Downing Street “rotten from the very top”.

Scottish National Party (SNP) Westminster leader Ian Blackford branded the report “damning” and called the Prime Minister to resign for “orchestrating” the scenes in Downing Street.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “Any other PM would be forced to resign by a report as damaging as this, yet still Conservative MPs defend Johnson and allow him to cling on.”

Later today, Johnson is set to face Tory MPs who will ultimately decide his fate at a private meeting in Parliament.

Senior backbencher Tobias Ellwood, a prominent critic of the UK Prime Minister, challenged Johnson over the “damning report” which revealed an “absence of leadership, focus and discipline in No 10”.

He asked fellow Tories “‘are you willing day in and day out to defend this behaviour publicly” and asked: “Can we win the general election on this current trajectory?”

The inquiry’s findings include:

  • Staff carrying on drinking in No 10 until the early hours of the morning on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, with the last departure recorded at 4.20am.
  • Johnson joined five advisers in a “food and alcohol” event in his Downing Street flat on the evening of the announcement of Dominic Cummings’ departure as chief adviser.
  • Former proprietary and ethics chief Helen MacNamara provided a karaoke machine for a Cabinet Office gathering where one individual was sick and there was a “minor altercation” between two others.
  • Then-senior adviser to the Prime Minister Martin Reynolds boasted “we seem to have got away with” the bring-your-own-booze garden party in a WhatsApp message to a special adviser.
  • Johnson brought the cheese and wine to the garden gathering on 15 May 2020 from his own flat.

The report issued by Gray includes a series of photos, with Johnson pictured at the surprise birthday party in the Cabinet Room on 19 June 2020 for which he received a fine.

He is seen with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, with sandwiches, juices and what appears to be Estrella lager – in one picture Johnson is seen raising a can of the beer aloft.

Other photos include the previously-seen images of Johnson raising a glass of wine at a leaving do for his former spin doctor Lee Cain on 13 November 2020.

downing-street-partygate Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of spin doctor Lee Cain. Sue Gray Report / Cabinet Office/PA Sue Gray Report / Cabinet Office/PA / Cabinet Office/PA

In a Commons statement, Johnson repeated his apology over the birthday party and added: “I take full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch.

“Sue Gray’s report has emphasised that it is up to the political leadership in Number 10 to take ultimate responsibility and, of course, I do.”

Johnson said he was “humbled” by the experience and had learned his lesson.

But he said he had been “as surprised and disappointed as anyone else” by the revelations in the report and “I have been appalled by some of the behaviour, particularly in the treatment of the security and the cleaning staff”.

“I’d like to apologise to those members of staff and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to apologise to them as well.”

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    Mute Niall Ó Cofaigh
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    May 25th 2022, 12:49 PM

    I have been trying to understand and today I think it can be summed up that people like Boris Johnson see themselves as part of the ruling class and as such exempt from the rules that apply to the people they rule. This explains why they do not see any inconsistencies between their parties and the activities of the people they rule. It is total arrogance

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    Mute Joe Johnson
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    May 25th 2022, 4:39 PM

    @Niall Ó Cofaigh: Just like Donald Trump , Bojo doesn’t know when he’s a beaten man.

    98
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    Mute Great White Hope
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    May 25th 2022, 7:42 AM

    Date of publication decided by No 10? Why?

    161
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    Mute Fergus Jones
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    May 25th 2022, 8:59 AM

    @Great White Hope: Interesting as Johnson said the meeting with Gray was to decide the timing of the release of the report and not to get her to sweep all of the parties and bottles under the carpet

    92
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    Mute Ian James Burgess
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    May 25th 2022, 1:59 PM

    @Great White Hope: because they have next week off

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    May 25th 2022, 5:31 PM

    @Great White Hope: Summer recess.

    13
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 25th 2022, 1:36 PM

    Leo must be on his bended knees thanking Boris for deflecting the Irish media concerning rule braking. Sue grays report given in months. Garda criminal investigation into Leo still waiting for DPP to respond. Suppose like the missing millions in Templemore and the missing mobile phones and laptops of two ex garda commissioners…we hold our breath.

    151
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    Mute Denis Ryan
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    May 25th 2022, 2:21 PM

    @Donal Desmond: Any chance you would stick to the topic that the article is about.

    105
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    Mute John Johnes
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    May 25th 2022, 4:40 PM

    @Donal Desmond: that lying , hypocrite snake is delighted indeed.

    leo the leaking tap did a far greater totally corrupt crime than Boris and yet Boris is being crucified.

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    Mute JusticeForJoe
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    May 25th 2022, 4:48 PM

    @Denis Ryan: You ok there, Denis? Doing a bit of Comment-Policing? It was a fair enough segue, in my opinion. Usually, when articles about our neighbours’ government are posted here, we tend to compare them with our lot. It’s quite normal and is not against any rules.

    48
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    Mute Frankie J
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    May 25th 2022, 4:51 PM

    @John Johnes: are you a child? It looks like a child wrote that comment.

    22
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 25th 2022, 6:18 PM

    @Denis Ryan: Well it took the Attorney General to get Varadkar off the hook….Seems Boris does not have the same influence…

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    Mute Denis Ryan
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    May 25th 2022, 8:14 PM

    @JusticeForJoe: “any chance” is comment policing?

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    May 25th 2022, 1:14 PM

    He apologises on a regular basis but it makes not a blind bit of difference to anyone. Perhaps they should have a ten strike apology system, and the tenth meaningless apology gets someone kicked out?

    111
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    Mute Ciaran Dunne
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    May 25th 2022, 9:00 AM

    It’s a tainted report even before it’s published IMO.

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    Mute Ronnie Smith
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    May 25th 2022, 9:48 AM

    After her meeting with Boris I suspect their will be a few grey areas in the report

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    Mute Stephen Carslake
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    May 25th 2022, 1:11 PM

    Meehole and Leo the liar have sent a message to Boris.
    “”Boris just tell them lessons will be learned^^ Its worked for us for years

    113
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    Mute Maurice O Neill
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    May 25th 2022, 11:58 AM

    Nothing to see here . Boris is one of the strongest leaders in Europe . We had plenty of party’s in Ireland during lockdown and nothing was done about it

    56
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    Mute Joseph Blocks
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    May 25th 2022, 1:12 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: I certainly didn’t anyway, so you must be speaking for yourself. Maybe you should go report yourself to the Gardaí, good lad.

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    Mute Great White Hope
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    May 25th 2022, 1:59 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: you’re a mighty man for stirring the pot

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    Mute E.J. Murray
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    May 25th 2022, 3:11 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: — All the drink at all those parties must have addled your brain, you should get checked out. There could also be mind numbing chemicals in your water supply.

    36
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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    May 25th 2022, 3:53 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: A bit strange aren’t you?

    27
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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    May 25th 2022, 3:54 PM

    @Liam MacSuibhne: take that back. Totally strange. Maybe talk to someone? Yikes

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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    May 25th 2022, 3:56 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: and it’s ‘parties’, the plural.
    And yes, plenty was done about it. People lots their jobs, including an EU Commussioner.
    Just go away Maurice like a good lad.

    32
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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    May 25th 2022, 3:56 PM

    @Liam MacSuibhne: people lost* their jobs

    6
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    Mute Olan Marten
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    May 25th 2022, 6:37 PM

    @Maurice O Neill: according to Boris the UK has never a part of Europe. So your statement is incorrect. He is the leader of a large island that he doesn’t fully control, the UK as an entity is threadbare, if Scotland goes it doesn’t exist.

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    Mute John O Mahony
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    May 25th 2022, 2:20 PM

    Another British government cover up

    45
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    Mute Niall O'Reilly
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    May 25th 2022, 1:58 PM

    Resign Resign Resign!

    47
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    Mute Seymour business
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    May 25th 2022, 11:58 AM

    Nothing like a four day bank Holiday and a right Royal pi$$ up, to sweep the decks.

    50
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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    May 25th 2022, 1:24 PM

    It’s fair to say that this report is shady from the outset. In fact as many as 50 shades from Gray.

    30
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    Mute Richard Starling
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    May 25th 2022, 6:45 PM

    Boris won’t resign. He has no honour or integrity and firmly believe the rule of law doesn’t apply to him.

    36
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    Mute Paul Dolan
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    May 25th 2022, 5:57 PM

    I heard Bertie Ahern is advising him

    20
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    Mute Carm(Orange Vampire)
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    May 25th 2022, 6:01 PM

    “Johnson believes he should remain as PM”. Well of course he does, he is too nrcissistic to think otherwise. (I wasn’t allowed to spell the word as it came up as toxic, nar…

    32
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    Mute Tim Brennan
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    May 25th 2022, 6:14 PM

    Johnson and his ilke live in a world of privilege and entitlement.
    The Brits vote for the protection of their status and privilege and they could not care a wit what Boris does.
    Boris will always be one step away from imploding as he can’t help his arrogance bursting forth

    22
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    Mute Brendan Glynn
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    May 25th 2022, 5:55 PM

    Boris has destroyed any credibility that his Party may have had – total arrogance – typical of Tories

    23
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    Mute Paul Duffy
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    May 25th 2022, 4:32 PM

    GET BREXIT DONE

    12
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    Mute Jimmy Chickens
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    May 25th 2022, 5:04 PM

    Curious as to what drink he is holding up. Is that a can of Coke? Tanora maybe? The naughty boy

    12
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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    May 25th 2022, 6:00 PM

    Oh my God that’s so unexpected! I really expected him to admit that he should go.

    9
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    Mute Nicholas O'Halloran
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    May 25th 2022, 5:17 PM

    Good man Boris

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    Mute Fergus Jones
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    May 26th 2022, 8:36 AM

    I’d like to know when they broke his kids swing at 3am during covid , how did they say it happened ?

    1
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