The Sue Gray inquiry into Downing St parties in lockdown could exclude details to some of the events being investigated after police called for the report to tone down descriptions of potentially criminal activity they are probing.
Metropolitan Police detectives have asked Sue Gray to make “minimal reference” to the Downing Street parties they are investigating when she hands over her report.
In a further twist to the partygate scandal the London police force said it wants to avoid “prejudice” to their criminal investigation into various alleged boozy gatherings in No10 during lockdown.
The Met’s demand means that the much-awaited report by Sue Gray will be limited and exclude details of the most serious breaches.
But by excluding some references it could also identify whether events the prime minister was at are part of the criminal investigation.
In a Friday morning statement, the Scotland Yard said: “For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.”
“The Met did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation.”
Publication of Gray’s report into the partygate scandal has been delayed by Scotland Yard launching a criminal investigation earlier this week, leaving government lawyers cross referencing her findings with the police inquiry.
Gray’s report was unlikely published on Friday in any case but this further complication could delay publication further.
The SNP’s Ian Blackford gave a furious reaction, lashing out at the Police and civil servants for the delay.
Blackford tweeted: “Here we go again, kicking this into the long grass. Who does this benefit, certainly not Parliament in seeking to hold Boris Johnson to account."
“He needs to answer for his misdemeanours. The details must be published in full rather than what this is, taking us all for fools.”
Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow chancellor, said: “The Sue Gray report needs to be published in full, as the Prime Minister has said it will be.”
“But also we need to be focusing on the massive challenges and problems we face as a country, the cost of living crisis, how to properly fund our national health service and how to get to net zero. Where is the government? It’s letting down the country.”
The senior civil servant is believed to have investigated reports of more than a dozen parties which were held against Covid rules in 2020 and 2021.
Around six gatherings are thought to be part of the criminal investigation.
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