The presentation of an official investigation into possible violations of corona rules at parties and gatherings with British government personnel has been delayed. That is because the police have now also launched an investigation into possible abuses, reports Sky News.
The United Kingdom is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the investigation of top civil servant Sue Gray. He has been put to work by the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson to investigate allegations that corona rules have been broken by government employees.
Not only Gray investigates possible wrongs. The police initially took a wait-and-see attitude, but announced on Tuesday that they would also open an investigation. That means, according to Sky News, that Gray will present her findings later and that the affair could drag on for months. The station reports without citing the source that Gray’s report will not be presented while the police are still investigating.
Johnson was again discredited this week by a message about festivities around his birthday in 2020. Then, during a lockdown, a party would have been organized for him with dozens of attendees. The prime minister would have been given cake and serenaded, reported ITV. The government says it was not a real party and that Johnson was only present for a short time.
It remains to be seen what delaying the Gray report would mean for the prime minister. There are fears within his Conservative Party that the outcry over ‘party gate’ could cost him his head. He could be further damaged politically by new leaks in the near future, but delays could also work in his favor, according to Sky News.
It’s also unclear whether Gray’s entire report will eventually be made public. Government official Michael Ellis promised the top official’s “findings” would be shared. That may mean only a summary will be released. The government could argue that this guarantees the anonymity of Gray’s sources.
The news of the police investigation initially fueled calls for Johnson’s departure. “How on earth does he think he can stay on as prime minister?” said Angela Rayner of the opposition Labor Party. Member of Parliament and former minister David Davis, a party member of Johnson’s, said the “nightmare is getting worse”.
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