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25 May 2022

What’s in Sue Gray’s Partygate report – and where do we go from here?

Political Editor

There was excessive drinking and a minor altercation. Someone was sick. A swing was broken. Cleaners were disrespected. Messages were sent later congratulating each other they’d got away with it.

Not raucous student parties but the description of at least eight gatherings documented in Sue Gray’s report – held in Number 10 Downing Street.

The place where the laws were devised is also the place where they were most flouted.

In her long-awaited report, Ms Gray blamed a failure of senior leadership, both political and official, for the party culture at the heart of government.

Mr Johnson told the Commons today he took full responsibility and was ‘humbled’.

For now the judges are Tory MPs. Today they were sullen and mostly silent, but their daggers were sheathed – in public at least.