An inquiry into Covid-19 lockdown-breaking parties at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office and residence said on Monday some of these should not have taken place, and serious failures of leadership and judgment occurred at the heart of the British government.
By William James and Kylie MacLellan
LONDON – An inquiry into Covid-19 lockdown-breaking parties at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office and residence said on Monday some of these should not have taken place, and serious failures of leadership and judgment occurred at the heart of the British government.
Johnson is facing the gravest threat to his premiership over the parties at Number 10 Downing Street, and the report by senior civil servant Sue Gray had the potential to trigger an end to his premiership.
However, parts of the report were not published due to an ongoing police investigation, which may allow Johnson to survive. He has so far weathered calls from opponents and some in his own party to resign by saying people needed to wait for the report.
“At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time,” Gray’s report said.
She also said the “excessive consumption of alcohol” at Downing Street was not appropriate.
Gray was tasked with looking into what has become weeks of a steady drip of stories about events in Downing Street during the Covid-19 lockdown, with reports of aides stuffing a suitcase full of supermarket alcohol and dancing until the early hours.
Accounts of more than a dozen gatherings – including a “bring your own booze” party in the Downing Street garden – have provoked widespread public anger. Millions were kept apart from loved ones for months because of the restrictions and many were not able to say their final goodbyes to dying family members.
Her report said of 16 allegations of rule-breaking gatherings at Downing Street or other government offices, 12 were under investigation by police.
“As I have noted, a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did,” she said in the report, entitled Investigation into Alleged Gatherings on Government Premises during Covid Restrictions – Update.
Opponents were critical of the limited nature of the report.
“This watered down update is utterly pointless,” said Ed Davey, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat party. “Everyone knows Boris Johnson broke the rules and lied to the country.”
* Key findings from the report:
“Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify.”
“At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time.”
“At times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings, the risks they presented to public health and how they might appear to the public. There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times. Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.”
“The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time. Steps must be taken to ensure that every government department has a clear and robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace.”
“The use of the garden at No 10 Downing Street should be primarily for the Prime Minister and the private residents of No 10 and No 11 Downing Street. During the pandemic it was often used as an extension of the workplace as a more Covid secure means of holding group meetings in a ventilated space. This was a sensible measure that staff appreciated, but the garden was also used for gatherings without clear authorisation or oversight. This was not appropriate. Any official access to the space, including for meetings, should be by invitation only and in a controlled environment.”
“Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so. No member of staff should feel unable to report or challenge poor conduct where they witness it.”
“The number of staff working in No 10 Downing Street has steadily increased in recent years … The structures that support the smooth operation of Downing Street, however, have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of this expansion. The leadership structures are fragmented and complicated and this has sometimes led to the blurring of lines of accountability. Too much responsibility and expectation is placed on the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the Prime Minister. This should be addressed as a matter of priority.”
“There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded.”
– REUTERS
