Boris Johnson news - live: Redacted Sue Gray report ‘imminent' as Met Police denies delaying publication

LIVE – Updated at 09:24

Boris Johnson is expected to soon receive a copy of a report into the parties held at Downing Street during lockdown.

The Prime Minister could receive the document, written by senior civil servant Sue Gray, as soon as this weekend – or over the coming week.

The Metropolitan Police have received the material requested from the Cabinet Office to support the investigation into possible Covid lockdown breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall, the force has said.

Scotland Yard said officers would now examine the material “without fear or favour” to establish whether any rules were broken, adding it had not delayed publication of the report.

Downing Street declined to comment on the Met’s statement, and on whether the report would be published.

The Cabinet Office said that the findings of Ms Gray’s investigation will be made public.

SNP Westminster group leader Ian Blackford has tweeted: “No one will accept a Westminster cover-up. If the UK government refuses to publish the full unredacted report it will prove, yet again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and broken beyond repair.

“It won’t save Boris Johnson’s skin. It will only add to the calls for him to go.”

Key Points

• PM to receive Sue Gray report ‘within days’ rather than weeks
• Parts of report to be redacted to ‘protect police investigation’
• Party leaders warn against ‘cover-up’ of No 10 gatherings

Tom Tugendhat says it would be ‘huge privilege’ for him to be PM

09:16 , Lamiat Sabin

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat has said he would run for prime minister if there was a leadership contest soon.

The ex-soldier and Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairman told Times Radio: “I think I’m making it pretty clear that I think that it’s up to all of us to put ourselves forward.

“And it’s up to the electorate, in the first case parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case the party, to choose.”

He said he had not been “canvassing support”, but “of course you should have a go”.

On whether he would still like to be PM, after expressing an interest in the past, he said: “It would be a huge privilege.”

He added: “I don’t think you should be embarrassed to want to serve your country.”

‘I believed Boris when he said he didn’t know it was a party’ – MP

08:40 , Lamiat Sabin

Tory MP Adam Holloway defended Boris Johnson over lockdown-breaking party allegations.

The Gravesham MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This is a really remarkable guy who got an 80-seat majority and I believed him when he said he didn’t know it was a party.

“He’s the PM of a nuclear-armed state, operating in a Downing Street that at the time was (on) a war footing with 300-plus passholders virtually working, you know, 24/7.

“I mean, he’s not the office manager. And if he’s asked to go outside and thank some staff, I’m not sure what the crime is there.

“I mean, if I’d gone out and I’d seen people with glasses of wine, yeah, I would have sent them packing back inside. That was a mistake.”

Party leaders warn against ‘cover-up’ of No 10 gatherings

08:20 , Lamiat Sabin

Leaders of opposition parties have called for a full disclosure of the events surrounding lockdown-busting parties at Downing Street.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “I want to see the Gray report in full.

“Our country faces huge challenges and it’s offensive that the Government’s sole focus is on cleaning up after themselves.

“Britain deserves better. The Prime Minister is unfit for office and must resign.”

I want to see the Gray report in full.

Our country faces huge challenges and it’s offensive that the Government’s sole focus is on cleaning up after themselves.

Britain deserves better. The Prime Minister is unfit for office and must resign.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) January 28, 2022

SNP Westminster group leader Ian Blackford has tweeted: “No one will accept a Westminster cover-up. If the UK government refuses to publish the full unredacted report it will prove, yet again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and broken beyond repair.

“It won’t save Boris Johnson’s skin. It will only add to the calls for him to go.”

No one will accept a Westminster cover-up.

If the UK government refuses to publish the full unredacted report it will prove, yet again, that Westminster is utterly corrupt and broken beyond repair.

It won’t save Boris Johnson’s skin. It will only add to the calls for him to go.

— Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) January 28, 2022

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Anything short of the full report would be a Whitehall whitewash not worth the paper it is written on.”

He added: “A stitch up between the Met leadership and Number 10 will damage our politics for generations and it looks like it is happening right in front of our eyes.”

A stitch up between the Met leadership and Number 10 will damage our politics for generations and it looks like it is happening right in front of our eyes.

— Ed Davey MP 🔶 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@EdwardJDavey) January 28, 2022

Parts of report to be redacted to ‘protect police investigation’

08:00 , Lamiat Sabin

The Metropolitan Police said the force had nothing to do with the timing of the document’s release but that it had requested that parts of the report be redacted.

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command, said the timing of the report’s publication was a matter for the “Cabinet Office inquiry team”.

But certain details will be blocked out to comply with the Met’s request.

Ms Roper said the force had asked for “minimal reference” to be made in the report to the “relevant events”, in order to “protect the integrity of the police investigation” and be “as fair as possible to those who are subject to it”.

She said: “This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events.

“We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.”

PM to receive Sue Gray report ‘within days’ rather than weeks

07:53 , Lamiat Sabin

The PA news agency has reported that it understands PM Boris Johnson could receive a copy of Sue Gray’s report over the weekend, or in the coming week.

It is expected it will be sent to No 10 shortly, as opposed to in a matter of weeks or months.

07:49 , Lamiat Sabin

Good morning. Welcome to our live UK politics coverage.