British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was finally able to see the much-anticipated «Party Gateway» investigation this weekend, after police insisted they were not delaying its publication.
Reports of a potential outside challenger to the leadership of the Conservative Party circulate as the wait continues for an official investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray into possible breaches of the lockdown in Downing Street and Whitehall.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak or Secretary of State Liz Truss are widely believed to be the two favorites to win the top job if the prime minister is impeached.
But the Daily Mail reported on Friday that the centrist Conservative Party was backing ex-soldier Tom Tugendhat as Johnson’s successor.
The paper said some Conservative MPs believed the chair of the foreign affairs committee represented «the best chance for a fresh start».
Meanwhile, new allegations have emerged in connection with the reported report on Johnson’s birthday in June 2020.
The Telegraph reported Friday evening that Carey, the prime minister’s wife, had sent letters to staff 10 offering them to bring a cake to the gathering.
As questions loom over the future of his premiership, it is understood that Johnson will «intensify deterrence to avoid bloodshed» between Russia and Ukraine by visiting the region in the coming days amid heightened tensions.
The prime minister is determined to «accelerate diplomatic efforts» during a trip in the coming days and will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin over a phone call.
The publication of Gray’s long-awaited report on parties allegedly breaching the lockdown was thrown into disarray Tuesday when Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick, who has long resisted calls to investigate, announced that her officers had opened a criminal investigation.
Scotland Yard confirmed on Friday evening that it had received material from the Cabinet Office to support its investigation.
The force said that officers would now examine the matter «without fear or favour» to determine if there were any rules in violation.
Legal experts and Tory MPs have criticized The Met for urging Gray to limit publication of her investigation into allegations the parties breached the lockdown at No. 10.
But the force insisted yesterday evening that it did not delay in publishing the report.
Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met’s Specialized Crime Command Central, said the timing of the document’s release is a matter for the Cabinet Office.
The Palestinian Authority News Agency understands that the Prime Minister may receive a copy of the report at the end of the week or next week.
It is expected that it will be sent to No. 10 soon, as opposed to weeks or months. But it is understood that she will comply with any police requests, which means that some details can be left out.
Downing Street declined to comment on Mitt’s statement. The Cabinet Office did not comment on the date of publication of the report.
She said Gray’s investigation is ongoing, there is ongoing contact with the police and the results will be made public. The administration added that it would not speculate further about the investigation by the senior official.
Don’t cover up Westminster
Roper said the force required «minimal reference» in the report to «relevant events», in order to «protect the integrity of the police investigation» and be «as fair as possible to those subject to them».
«This will only be necessary until these matters are finalized, and to give investigators the most reliable picture of what happened in these events. We are intent on completing our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately,» she added.
«We did not postpone this report, and the timing of its issuance is a matter of the investigation team in the Cabinet Office.»
SNP Westminster group leader Ian Blackford tweeted: «Nobody will accept the Westminster cover-up. If the UK government refuses to publish the full, unedited report it will prove, once again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and beyond repair. It will not save the skin of Boris Johnson. It will only add to the calls to go.»
No one will accept the Westminster cover-up.
If the UK government refuses to publish the full, unedited report it will prove, once again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and beyond repair.
It will not save the skin of Boris Johnson. It will only add to calls to go.
– Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) January 28, 2022
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: «Anything less than a full report would be a whitewash not worth the paper it’s written on.»
The Met previously argued that the restrictions on the Cabinet Office’s report on «partygate» were necessary to «avoid any prejudice to our investigation,» noting that it faces easing or lengthy delays.
The new statement, released Friday evening, made no mention of the term «bias.»
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Roper said the offenses under investigation, if proven, would usually result in a notice of a fixed sentence.
«Individuals likely to have violated these regulations are usually contacted in writing and invited to explain their actions including if they feel they have a reasonable excuse,» she said.
“After this process, and in the event that there is sufficient evidence that individuals have violated regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide whether enforcement action is appropriate.
“If the decision is to take enforcement action, a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the Fixed Punishment Notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.
“If the recipient objects to the Fixed Punishment Notice, the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether the matter should be pursued in Magistrates Court.
«As the commissioner said, we will not be giving ongoing comment but will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigation process.»