Claims that details of an alleged Downing Street flat party were removed from Sue Gray’s investigation into coronavirus rule breaking have been denied by No 10 sources. The Sunday Times reported that the senior civil servant, who on Wednesday delivered her 37-page report into events held in Downing Street and Whitehall during England’s lockdowns, had pressure placed on her by senior members of Boris Johnson’s team to remove certain details and names.
The newspaper said the so-called “Abba party” held in the Prime Minister’s flat on November 13, 2020, was “tweaked” by Mr Johnson’s chief-of-staff Steve Barclay on the eve of publication. It is alleged an earlier draft of Ms Gray’s report referred to music being played and stated at what time the gathering ended, but that the information was redacted.
But No 10 and Cabinet Office sources denied that any edits were made by Mr Barclay, who is also the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. A No 10 source said: “It is untrue that anyone on the political side saw anything in advance or sought to influence it.”
