Senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report titled ‘Investigation Into Alleged Gatherings On Government Premises During Covid Restrictions’ reached No 10 at 12 noon on 31 January. It is a carefully crafted timeline of events with specific dates and number of people involved in the so-called ‘Partygate’ - the infamous and alleged parties that are said to have taken place at Downing Street in the presence of senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson during strictest of Covid lockdown for the rest of the country. Gray did not provide detailed factual accounts of the events themselves. She did not name anyone specifically, but interviewed over 70 individuals, and analysed a range of documents and digital information.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Monday saying that he was “sorry” after the report into lockdown parties held at his Downing Street residence criticised serious failures at the heart of government. "I get it, and I will fix it," he said in the Prime Minister’s Question Hour in the House of Commons.
Serious failure, difficult to justify
Gray’s findings state that amid the backdrop of the pandemic when the Government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify.
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.
More importantly, the senior civil servant’s findings note that at times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings, the risks they presented to public health and how they might appear to the public. The report clearly mentions that there were “failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times” and “some of the events should not have been allowed to take place.”
Excessive consumption of alcohol
The rather shocking mention of “excessive consumption of alcohol” which according to Gray “is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time” is also a matter of concern in her findings.
The report asserts that 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.
It further says that some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so.
Fragmented leadership
While Sue’s report adds that the number of staff working in No 10 Downing Street has steadily increased in recent years, 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 are placed on the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the Prime Minister. This should be addressed as a matter of priority,” it says.
In conclusion, the report suggests that the gatherings within the scope of this investigation are spread over a 20-month period – a period that has been unique in recent times in terms of the complexity and breadth of the demands on public servants and indeed the general public.
“I have noted, a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did. There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded,” Sue Gray wrote.
The document, published on January 31, is not the final version of the report by senior civil servant Sue Gray. That will not be published until the outcome of MetPolice investigations.
Will Sunak be the richest British PM?
Tax justice campaigners have warned that should Boris Johnson step down, Rishi Sunak, who is being touted as the number one choice for PM will be the richest prime minister Britain has ever seen as he is reportedly the richest MP right now.
Not to forget that Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy (daughter of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy) is richer than even Queen Elizabeth in the UK. Reports state that Akshata Murthy possesses shares worth over £430 million (approx Rs 4,200 crore) in her father NR Narayan Murthy's tech giant Infosys. In comparison, the Queen's personal wealth is around £350 million (approx Rs 3,400 crore).
According to OpenDemocracy, experts say Sunak has not been transparent with his finances and that his hedge fund background raises questions about his commitment to fighting tax avoidance. His PR game is quite strong, a testament to which is the fact that he hired the co-founder of a social media agency to manage his public image after he was appointed.
His online presence is said to have more closely resembled a celebrity influencer than a frontrunner for Tory leader.
