A total of 16 people have been named or photographed in Sue Gray’s report into the partygate scandal. The senior civil servant said the process to decide who should be named in her investigation “has not been easy” – due to names of senior civil servants often being withheld in reports – but added that it was within the public interest to “name senior individuals involved to this limited extent”.
Ms Gray also said that while some people have been named, it does not mean they have been fined by the Metropolitan Police. “It does not follow that any of those I have referred to in this report, named or otherwise, have received an FPN [Fixed Penalty Notice], or that any inference or assumption can be made about the outcome of the police investigation in any individual case,” she wrote.
“As I have set out above, I have not been informed by the Metropolitan Police of these matters.” Here is the full list of the 16 individuals who have been named or pictured by Ms Gray in her report.
Boris Johnson
The Prime Minister is referred to throughout the report, most notably as being in attendance at the events on May 15 2020, May 20 2020, his birthday on June 19 2020, November 13 2020, November 27 2020, December 15 2020, December 17 2020 and January 14 2021.
For each event, he is listed as attending for a certain period of time before departing and returning to his office, plus also giving speeches at some events when staff were departing. The report states he brought the cheese and wine to the garden gathering on May 15 from his own flat.
Images have been published in the report, with Mr Johnson pictured at the surprise birthday party in the Cabinet Room on June 19 for which he received a fine. He is seen with Cabinet Secretary Simon Case and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, with sandwiches, juices and what appears to be Estrella lager.
In one picture Mr Johnson is seen raising a can of the beer aloft. Other photos include the previously seen image of Mr Johnson raising a glass of wine at a leaving do for his former spin doctor Lee Cain on November 13.
Carrie Johnson
The PM’s wife was named as attending an outdoor meeting on May 15 and Mr Johnson’s birthday on June 15. An image of the May 15 event was previously published, of which Mrs Johnson can be seen sitting at a table outside.
Rishi Sunak
The Chancellor attended the event for the PM’s birthday celebrations on June 19 “having also arrived early” for a meeting, but is said to have had no advance knowledge of what was due to take place. Mr Sunak, who was later fined for his attendance, was also pictured at the event in the report.
Martin Reynolds
Mr Reynolds was previously principal private secretary to Mr Johnson, an advisory role which he was appointed to in 2019. He was subsequently forced out of his position amid outrage over the partygate scandal.
Mr Reynolds is reportedly being lined up to become the UK’s next ambassador to Saudi Arabia. In the report, Ms Gray said Mr Reynolds was in attendance at the gatherings on May 15, May 20 and June 18.
It said he arranged the Bring Your Own Booze gathering in the No 10 garden on May 20 and an email was sent on his behalf inviting around 200 staff to enjoy the “lovely weather” with some “socially distanced drinks in the garden this evening”. In a WhatsApp on an unknown date to a special adviser, Mr Reynolds appeared to boast about the event, and wrote: “Best of luck – a complete non story but better than them focusing on our drinks (which we seem to have got away with).”
For the June 18 gathering, the report said Mr Reynolds approached Lee Cain, the-then director of communications, about how to “handle” the leaving drinks of an unnamed No 10 official. WhatsApp messages show him asking Mr Cain if it was “safer” to do a larger event indoors “but with some people carrying on outside afterwards.”
It adds he attended the second part of the June 18 event. This was held in the waiting room area outside the Cabinet Secretary’s private office in Whitehall.
Dominic Cummings
Mr Cummings held the role of de facto chief of staff in Downing Street until his departure in November 2020. He is named in the report as attending events on May 15 and June 18.
For the May 15 event, it says a meeting began between Mr Reynolds, Mr Cummings and the Prime Minister in Mr Johnson’s office before moving outside to the terrace. Mr Cummings is said to have attended the first part of the June 18 event, which was held in the Cabinet room and was a mixture of people who attended in person and on Zoom.
The report states Mr Cummings also raised concerns in writing with Mr Reynolds over the Bring Your Own Booze party. However Ms Gray said: “We have not found any documentary evidence of this.”
Helen MacNamara
Ms MacNamara previously held the role of deputy Cabinet secretary with responsibility for propriety and ethics from 2018 to 2020. She is named as attending the June 18 event for “part of the evening and provided a karaoke machine”.
Sir Mark Sedwill
Sir Mark held the roles of Cabinet secretary from April 2018 to September 2020 and National Security Advisor from April 2017 to Sept 2020. He is listed as attending the June 18 gathering.
The report states he “returned from a meeting and noted that there were individuals in his waiting room, adding that he “stayed for a short time and before leaving for another meeting he gave permission for the use of his office for a short time”.
Cleo Watson
The No 10 special adviser is said to have organised “some sandwiches and cake for about 1pm in the Cabinet Room” for Mr Johnson’s birthday on June 19 in a message to Mr Reynolds. She told Mr Reynolds of the plans, stating it was in case “anyone from [his] team would like to pop in and wish him a happy birthday”.
Ms Watson added: “Have sent this to policy, press and e&v heads. Do you mind letting PSs know?” to which Mr Reynolds said: “Will do.”
Lee Cain
The former No 10 director of communications is named as attending events on May 20 and his own leaving do on November 13. Mr Cain said he told Sue Gray that he “attended the event” on May 20 “for a brief period to ascertain who was present in the garden”.
It adds that he warned Mr Reynolds for both the May 20 and June 18 events that they come with “rather substantial comms risks”.
Simon Case
Mr Case held the role of permanent secretary for Covid and the pandemic response in No 10 during the Downing Street party saga. He was later appointed Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service in September 2020.
The report states he attended the first part of the June 18 event and was at Mr Johnson’s birthday celebrations for “a short period having arrived early for a meeting which was due to take place in the Cabinet room”.
Stuart Glassborow
The deputy principal private secretary to the Prime Minister invited staff to a “Virtual Leaving Presentation” on January 14 to mark the departure of two No 10 officials. Ms Gray said the email only contained a Microsoft Teams online link with “no information initially given to suggest an in-person event”.
It later became an in-person event although it is unclear from the report if Mr Glassborow appeared in person or virtually. However, he is said to have attended the June 18 event in person.
Kate Josephs
The former director general in the Covid task force, who left her role in December 2020, attended the event on December 17, which was held to mark her and another official’s departure from the Civil Service. An email from the Cabinet Office was sent on their behalf inviting guests to the leaving do in Whitehall, but also urging people who were not working in London not to travel in especially for it.
James Bowler
Mr Bowler was the second permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office leading the Covid taskforce until August 2021. He now holds the role of permanent secretary of the Department for International Trade.
Mr Bowler is named in the report as stating the December 17 event for Ms Josephs “could take place on the basis that it was time limited”, but no one should travel in for it and people should be socially distanced. He attended the gathering and gave a speech.
Simon Ridley
Mr Ridley held the role of head of the Cabinet Office Covid taskforce from March 2020 to March 2022. He currently holds the role of second permanent secretary at the Home Office. Mr Ridley is named as a guest who attended the leaving do for Ms Josephs on December 17.
James Slack
Former No 10 director of communications James Slack was in attendance at his own leaving do on April 16. It was an event that was held online and in person, with the report stating the event took place inside 10 Downing Street and later on in its garden.
Jack Doyle
The senior special adviser attended the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18, where he handed out awards certificates to staff.
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