Outraged North East leaders have vented their fury and demanded that Boris Johnson resign after a “sickening” report into lockdown parties in Downing Street was finally released.
A limited version of Sue Gray’s report was published on Monday afternoon and condemned a “serious failure” to observe the high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government and of the entire British public during the Covid pandemic.
The “update” document revealed that 12 events are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police, including a gathering in the Downing Street flat and one to mark the Tory Prime Minister’s birthday in June 2020.
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Top Labour figures in the North East have joined the widespread criticism of the government, though one local Tory has labelled Mr Johnson "courageous".
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said that the PM “cannot represent the people if he thinks he’s above the law”.
The Labour PCC added: "Everything Sue Gray has identified – partying, gatherings, cheap excuses – all of these are the same actions that resulted in hundreds of thousands of fines being issued to people up and down this country. They broke the law, they were dealt with by the police.
“We cannot have one rule for the public and another for Boris Johnson’s Downing Street parties.”
Newcastle City Council’s Labour leader Nick Forbes called the conclusions of the report, in which Ms Gray said she was "extremely limited" in what she could say due to the Met's ongoing investigation, “sickening”.
He added: “While the people of the North East were abiding by the rules, in Downing Street they were having parties. One rule for them and another for the rest of us. The buck stops with the Prime Minister. He has failed as a leader and lost the confidence of the British people. He should resign.”
The long-awaited document released online on Monday states that there was “was too little thought given to what was happening across the country” and “failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office”.
Ms Gray also found that the Downing Street garden was used for gatherings “without clear authorisation or oversight” in a way that was “not appropriate”.
Ian Mearns, the Labour MP for Gateshead, said: “I have been in politics as a councillor and an MP for almost 40 years and I cannot think of another Prime Minister in my lifetime who would not have already resigned by now.
“We are looking at a Government and a Prime Minister completely without the integrity of any of their predecessors.”
Mr Johnson told the House of Commons that he “accepts Sue Gray’s general findings in full” and “above all her recommendation that we must learn from these events and act now” – telling MPs he would overhaul the operation in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office.
He added that he was “sorry for the things we simply didn’t get right and also sorry for the way that this matter has been handled”, but failed to commit to publishing Ms Gray’s report in full once the police investigation has concluded.
Newcastle Central’s Labour MP, Chi Onwurah, called the PM’s appearance in Parliament “worthy of a pantomime villain” and called for him to “leave the stage”.
Labour colleague Catherine McKinnell, MP for Newcastle North, added: “Today the Prime Minister showed he has no genuine respect or understanding for those sacrifices the public made. He continues to blame everyone but himself, and is unfit to hold public office.
“Every day he remains in office he degrades the integrity of Parliament and politics, and if he had any remorse or respect for the public we serve, he would resign.”
However, a senior Conservative councillor called the PM's response on Monday "courageous".
Sean Brockbank, leader of the Tory group in North Tyneside, said he was "really pleased that things didn't go right and need to be different."
Coun Brockbank added: "I hope, and I am really quite certain, that he has got the message that things need to change at No 10. His response has been courageous, it has been direct, it has been brave."
Having recently writing to the PM to ask him to "consider your position", Mr Brockbank told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the North Tyneside Tories would still "invite the Prime Minister to reflect on his position, on what has been detailed in the report, and make some decisions very clearly on what leadership means".
Richard Holden, the Conservative MP for North West Durham, said he had been "appalled" by reports of the lockdown breaches in Downing Street and welcomed the PM's apology.
Addressing Mr Johnson in the House of Commons, he added: "Will he assure me that he will continue to keep the House updated on the implementation of the measures he is taking in the report, and also will he ensure there is full cooperation from the whole of the No 10 team to the inquiries from the Met so they can conclude as swiftly as possible?"
