Boris Johnson is under intense political pressure to publish in “full” the long-awaited report by Sue Gray into rule-busting parties in No 10, as he was challenged in the Commons.
It comes as Downing Street is braced to receive the report by the senior civil servant in the next 24 hours and the decision of the Metropolitan Police to launch a separate probe into “a number” of allegations.
While some Conservative MPs have already called on Mr Johnson to resign over the affair, many are reserving judgement on his embattled premiership until Ms Gray’s report is made public.
Pressing Mr Johnson on the issue of the report’s publication, Sir Keir Starmer told MPs on Wednesday: “The PM’s continual defence is ‘wait for the Sue Gray report.
“On 8 December he told this House ‘I will place a copy of the report into the library of the House of Commons”
“His spokesperson has repeatedly stated that means the full report, not parts of the report, not a summary of the report, no an edited copy. So can the PM confirm that he will be publish the full Sue Gray report as he receives it?”
In response, Mr Johnson replied: “We’ve got to leave the report to the independent investigator, as he knows, of course when I receive it, of course, I will do exactly what I said.”
After prime minister’s questions, a senior Labour spokesperson said the prime minister’s response did not give Sir Keir confidence the report will be published in full – as he demanded.
“Given the prime minister’s record when it comes to his answers at PMQs, you always have to take things with a pinch of salt,” said the spokesperson. “I think it is concerning that Downing Street refer to publishing ‘findings’ rather than the report. That seems to be a use of language that is certainly a cause for concern.
“What matters is that Sue Gray’s report, as it goes to Downing Street, is published in full and published in time for the media, politicians and the public to be able to scrutinise it and that we then have a substantive debate on it.”
The spokesperson also said that Labour could use the parliamentary tactic of a “humble address” to secure publication in full if the PM attempts to suppress elements of the report.
After prime minister’s questions, his official spokesperson, who confirmed No 10 was still waiting for the report, said: “The findings will be made public in line with the terms of reference. It is our intention to publish those findings as received.”
During the session on Wednesday, the prime minister also rejected calls to resign — just 24 hours after Metropolitan Police launched an official investigation.
He insisted he was “getting on with the job”, although he acknowledged there were people who “want me out of the way” for a variety of reasons.
Addressing MPs, Sir Keir said: “We now have the shameful spectacle of a prime minister of the United Kingdom being subject to a police investigation, unable to lead the country, incapable of doing the right thing and every day his Cabinet fail to speak out they become more and more complicit.”
Asked whether he would now quit, Mr Johnson said “no”.
