A “heavily redacted“ report into the Downing Street lockdown parties will be handed over to Boris Johnson “in the coming hours”, it was claimed tonight.
The report, by senior civil servant Sue Gray, has been held up after the Met Police insisted it should make “minimal reference” to any parties subject to the criminal investigation by the force.
The censored findings will be published next week once MPs return to the Commons, according to Sky News.
The Met’s move to limit the report led to furious claims of a stitch-up and was tonight slammed by lawyers and legal experts. Nazir Afzal, a former chief crown prosecutor, said: “This is absolute nonsense from the Met Police.”
Human rights barrister Adam Wagner said: “How would a factual civil service report about events the police are investigating ‘prejudice’ their investigation?”
Angry Tory MPs have threatened they could trigger a vote of no confidence in embattled Mr Johnson. Ex-PM Theresa May warned “nobody is above the law”, while Labour leader Keir Starmer said the “country deserves better”.
Other opposition leaders turned their anger on Met chief Cressida Dick.
Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said that “a stitch-up between the Met leadership and No10 will damage our politics for generations”.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, tweeted: “This gets murkier by the minute.”
The Met argued the move is necessary to “avoid any prejudice” to their probe.
Met Commander Catherine Roper said they had not delayed the report. She said officers would examine material from the Cabinet Office “without fear or favour”.
Downing Street has denied any involvement with the Met investigation, as the PM headed to his Chequers country retreat for the weekend.
Seven Tory MPs have publicly called for him to quit so far.
