NEW: Boris Johnson will make a statement on the Sue Gray report at 12.30pm following PMQs.

Sources suggest the PM will apologise to the Commons for his single fine - received for his lockdown birthday party on 19 June 2020 - but repeat his claim that he didn't know he was breaking the rules at the time, so didn't lie to Parliament.

They claim Mr Johnson will provide a series of excuses for the No 10 culture of socialising during lockdown including the size of the building and the difficult task of responding to the pandemic.

The PM is expected to say that he attended leaving dos "briefly" because saying thank you to departing staff was an essential duty of leadership - but will claim he was unaware that some of these events later became full-blown parties.

Insiders claim that Mr Johnson will correct the record on his previous claim that no rules-busting parties took place. But he will insist that changes have already taken place to the Downing Street operation and that he wants to get on with delivering for the country.

Oh, and colleagues have been briefed by No 10 that Boris Johnson will tell MPs he is "humbled by the whole experience” and “accepts full responsibility” for the Partygate scandal.

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How utterly predictable.

I accept full responsibility by not owning up and constantly trying to avoid punishment.

Report published.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-61524198

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/findings-of-the-second-permanent-secretarys-investigation-into-alleged-gatherings-on-government-premises-during-covid-restrictions?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=e7f100f8-1e9b-4ee0-bde9-83cded1cf523&utm_content=immediately

Sue Gray report is live

AND ITS LIVE

Having skim read through it, fair to say it's fairly half @rsed.

There's an event they even admit they couldn't investigate properly because the Met took over before they could gather evidence.

Just went to the general findings and conclusion (page 38 onwards)

Was hoping for a more damning photo of Boris with his tie round his head and his trousers round his ankles

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 4 minutes ago
Having skim read through it, fair to say it's fairly half @rsed.

There's an event they even admit they couldn't investigate properly because the Met took over before they could gather evidence.
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The Johnson flat party.

At a leaving event on 18 June 2020:

"Some brought pizza and prosecco" and "a karaoke machine" was set up

"The event lasted for a number of hours. There was excessive alcohol consumption... One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation"

"I'm told hindsight is a wonderful thing"

Sounds like there's gonna be an altercation with Blackford

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 15 minutes ago
At a leaving event on 18 June 2020:

"Some brought pizza and prosecco" and "a karaoke machine" was set up

"The event lasted for a number of hours. There was excessive alcohol consumption... One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation"

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“Rules were followed at all times”

The worst of Gray report:

* Excessive drinking, staff being sick

* Partying until 4.35am on eve of Prince Phillip's funeral

* Red wine on walls

* Abuse of cleaning staff & security staff

* Warnings about parties ignored

* Martin Reynolds: 'We seem to have got away with it'

So Boris Johnson’s defence seems to be that Downing Street is so large, he couldn’t have possibly been aware of the nature of the illegal events that happened, despite the fact he attended them himself.
https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1529428902300590081?t=wfZnvaE5G2DbtWfOOuC3tg&s=19

So Johnson's statement basically amounts to 'I take full responsibility, but I didn't know about it despite attending so take no responsibility.'

comment by Tamwolf (U17286)
posted 8 minutes ago
So Johnson's statement basically amounts to 'I take full responsibility, but I didn't know about it despite attending so take no responsibility.'
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I don't think there was ever any chance of him resigning, despite countless others involved, having to do so.

The man who joined an Oxford club that had *burning a £50 note in front of a homeless person* as one of its initiation rites is now telling the Commons how shocked he is that Tory MPs were rude to his cleaning staff.
I think he's lying. #PMQs

===

if you don't laugh, you'll cry.

This is a shameful PMQ’s, we have absolutely deteriorated as a country

comment by Ignacio Varga (U11781)
posted 3 minutes ago
This is a shameful PMQ’s, we have absolutely deteriorated as a country
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This is an acceptable new low by the looks of it. Next time government tell us to do something we’ll say we will, then do the complete opposite. New rules.

There's no genuine remorse or guilt from these lot. Just laughing and joking.

comment by King TUt - I can be your Hiro baby (U3732)
posted 11 minutes ago
The man who joined an Oxford club that had *burning a £50 note in front of a homeless person* as one of its initiation rites is now telling the Commons how shocked he is that Tory MPs were rude to his cleaning staff.
I think he's lying. #PMQs

===

if you don't laugh, you'll cry.
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Noones buying it now

Partygate reminds me of Climate Change.

They aren't afraid, they just want you to be, so you are more easily controlled and emergency laws can be pushed though. Laws and restrictions they have no intention of complying with, but will absolutely expect you to follow.

Just watch.

———-

Bang on

Hoyle really sunk to a low for him aswell

Calling the former Labour leader "Vladimir Corbyn" is not only pathetic it's dangerous to a guy who's already had members of the public drive to London to kill him

Also "Sir Beer Korma" is so puerile it's almost funny

Thing I don’t get is, there’s no way there was this many parties and nobody knew or leaked it. Media evidently buried it and tired/Labour/lib Dems must of known about it and them all because people would of revealed it and have friends working for other parties etc

comment by Oscar #TeamFury. Champion of NBA Predictions (U12980)
posted 41 seconds ago
Thing I don’t get is, there’s no way there was this many parties and nobody knew or leaked it. Media evidently buried it and tired/Labour/lib Dems must of known about it and them all because people would of revealed it and have friends working for other parties etc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What?

comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Oscar #TeamFury. Champion of NBA Predictions (U12980)
posted 41 seconds ago
Thing I don’t get is, there’s no way there was this many parties and nobody knew or leaked it. Media evidently buried it and tired/Labour/lib Dems must of known about it and them all because people would of revealed it and have friends working for other parties etc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What?
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