Partygate is a reminder that the government must work with the civil service – not against it
The sorry tale of Partygate – concerning the parties that were held in 10 Downing Street when the rest of the country was in lockdown – is moving towards its final chapter. The prime minister has received one fine, and a further 125 have been issued, to 83 people in all.
As far as the Metropolitan Police are concerned, the matter is closed. But of course, in political terms it is not closed at all. The full report by Sue Gray, the senior civil servant charged with the unenviable task of examining the behaviour of the prime minister and others involved, is expected to be published in the next few days.
Boris Johnson has been criticised for meeting with Sue Gray in advance of its publication to discuss the findings. Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “Boris Johnson must urgently explain why he held a secret meeting with Sue Gray to discuss her report, despite claiming her investigation was completely independent.”
