Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised after a report exposed failings of leadership and behaviour in Downing Street during pandemic lockdowns that was “not appropriate”. While the report was significantly shorter than had been initially expected, four takeaway points merit attention.
1. Not a full report – but significant findings
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 That will not be published until the outcome of police investigations – and possibly not even then. However, this “update” from Gray delivers significant findings. It reveals that 16 specific incidents at Downing Street and other government buildings have been under investigation. Of these, 12 have been handed to the police after it was decided they reached the threshold for criminal investigation.
