After a week of speculation about the release of Sue Gray’s report into partygate, its publication has now been complicated further. This morning the Metropolitan police released a statement confirming that they have asked the government to make ‘minimal reference’ to the eight events they are now investigating after being passed evidence from the Cabinet Office that triggered a police investigation.
A Met spokesman said:
Pushing the report into the long grass is not without risk for the Prime Minister
‘For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.’
The police add that they did not ask for ‘any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed’. But this puts the government in a pickle – and explains the delay to its publication.
If the Sue Gray report is released and only properly references the parties which have not been deemed serious enough to warrant a police investigation – and leaves out the majority of the details of the ones that were – Gray will be accused of a whitewash.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in