By Ben Kerrigan-
There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times, a published report by Sue Gray today reveals. Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.
Her report, which condemned an excessive consumption of alcohol as being inappropriate in a professional workplace at any time, Ms Gray said 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.
Gray said 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 authorization or oversight.
This was not appropriate, she said. Any official access to the space, including for meetings, should be
by invitation only and in a controlled environment. In the report, Gray said is not for her to make a judgment on whether the criminal law has been broken; that is properly a matter for law enforcement.
However, the top civil servant added that the police have confirmed that on the basis of the information available, the gatherings on these four dates are not considered to have reached the threshold for criminal investigation.
She said that given the far-reaching restrictions on the lives of the public, 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.
Ms Gray was forced to rewrite the report to be released on Monday after the force asked for only “minimal reference” to be made to events they are looking at, in order to “avoid any prejudice to our investigation”.
Johnson said he will review the codes of conduct of civil servants and advisers, and will announce in due course measures to strengthen the way No 10 works, he says.
He said: “I get it, and I will fix it.” Johnson says it is not enough to say sorry; “We must learn,” he says.
He said no conclusions should be drawn from the fact the police are investigating, adding that says he will sort out Downing Street now and create an Office of the Prime Minister, with a permanent secretary.