THE long-awaited Sue Gray report has been released in an "update" due to the Metropolitan Police requiring details to be omitted so as not to affect their investigation.
There are 16 total gatherings being investigated by senior civil servant Sue Gray over potential breaches of lockdown rules.
The report states that the Met is investigating 12 of the events for potentially breaking the law. This means that only events on May 15, November 27, December 10 and December 15 (all 2020) are not being investigated by police on whether criminal law has been broken.
READ MORE: Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties is OUT - here's what it says
The SNP's deputy Westminster leader Kirsten Oswald MP appeared on the BBC following the publication of the report.
She said that the interim findings were "devastating for the Prime Minister" but warned that there were "an awful lot of questions still to be answered".
Oswald added: "I don't think that anyone thinks that [Boris Johnson is] telling the truth. I don't think anyone thinks that he is doing anything other than misleading Parliament."
The ministerial code states that ministers who "knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation".
In the report, there is a gathering under investigation on November 13 that took place in Johnson's Downing Street flat which it states was "on the departure of a special adviser". This was the day Dominic Cummings - Johnson's former top aide - resigned.
Downing Street has previously denied that this gathering took place.
On 8 December 2021, Boris Johnson told Parliament that no rules were broken.
— Olaf Stando (@olafdoesstuff) January 31, 2022
Today, Sue Gray revealed 16 parties took place during lockdown - when this was clearly against the rules. pic.twitter.com/uRwYOGn3CL
In a later statement, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford MP said the Prime Minister's position is now "completely untenable" and called for him to resign ahead of statement in the Commons.
LIVE: Sue Gray report published as PM due to give statement in House of Commons
Blackford said: "Boris Johnson's position is now completely untenable. The Prime Minister is guilty of breaking lockdown rules and misleading parliament. He must resign - or be removed from office.
"The highly critical Sue Gray report is utterly damning. It has provided the final nail in the coffin against Boris Johnson's false claims that he would be exonerated. Instead, it has provided conclusive evidence that rule-breaking events did happen and should never have taken place.
"It is clear the Prime Minister knew about events, attended them - and was lying to Parliament when he claimed otherwise.
"Misleading Parliament is a resignation matter in itself - but just as important is the fact that the Prime Minister and his Downing Street team were breaking the rules that they had imposed.
"There cannot be one rule for Boris Johnson and another for the rest of us. If the Prime Minister won't do the honourable thing and resign, he must be forced out of office by his own MPs.
"Tory MPs must now do their duty and remove him without further delay - or they will destroy any remaining public trust in the Tory government."
READ MORE: Here at the 12 lockdown parties at Number 10 under police investigation
Despite a lack of detail in the report, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described it as "nevertheless excoriating", tweeting: "The #Gray report may be heavily constrained but it is nevertheless excoriating of Boris Johnson. He is guilty of serial failures of leadership & judgment (& has clearly misled parliament). If the Tories allow him to continue as PM, they will all be complicit"
The #Gray report may be heavily constrained but it is nevertheless excoriating of Boris Johnson. He is guilty of serial failures of leadership & judgment (& has clearly misled parliament). If the Tories allow him to continue as PM, they will all be complicit https://t.co/OVqLHTmbbK
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 31, 2022
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar responded to the report, also calling for Johnson to step down.
He tweeted: "The findings of the redacted Gray report are clear – Boris Johnson has lied and cannot continue as PM.
"The United Kingdom deserves better.
"It’s now clearer than ever that we must not just oppose this corrupt Tory government, we must replace it.
"Only Labour can do that."
The findings of the redacted Gray report are clear – Boris Johnson has lied and cannot continue as PM.
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) January 31, 2022
The United Kingdom deserves better better.
It’s now clearer than ever that we must not just oppose this corrupt Tory government, we must replace it.
Only Labour can do that.
In response to the release of the update, the Scottish Greens tweeted: "Boris Johnson told us that there'd been no parties, that no rules were broken. Sue Gray's report reveals that there were 16 events.
"His contempt for the rules and failure to take responsibility when the public were living under severe restrictions is unforgivable.
"He must resign."
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross - who has previously called for Johnson to resign if he broke the ministerial code - has not yet made a statement on the release of the report.
Boris Johnson says 'sorry' in response to Gray report
In a statement to the House of Commons, the Prime Minister said that he wanted "to say sorry" for the gatherings and the way it has been handled.
In response to findings from the Gray report, he said: “First it is time to sort out what Sue Gray rightly calls the fragmented and complicated leadership structures of Downing Street which she says have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of the expansion of Number 10 and we will do that, including by creating an Office of the Prime Minister with a permanent secretary to lead Number 10.”
READ MORE: PM under criminal investigation as he gives statement to MPs on Sue Gray report
He also said that it is time to "review the civil service and special adviser codes of conduct wherever necessary" and ensure that those codes are properly followed.
In response to the fact Johnson is making changes in government, SNP defence spokesman Stewart McDonald tweeted: "Far from any resignations or disciplinary measures, Boris goes for a power grab."
Far from any resignations or disciplinary measures, Boris goes for a power grab. https://t.co/emFdGQDR6K
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) January 31, 2022
National contributor Gerry Hassan questioned the alleged "power grab", tweeting: "How can the response to the trashing of the office of the Prime Minister be to create 'an Office of the Prime Minister'? Only in the UK could the collapse of the political centre produce the answer of the same centre taking more power. And under the same team & Boris Johnson."
Calls of "resign" could be heard in the Commons as he made his statement.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged Johnson to publish the report in full, as did Blackford when called upon to speak in the Commons.
In his contribution, Blackford accused the Prime Minister of misleading the House and being untruthful and refused to withdraw his comments when asked by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
After a tense back-and-forth between the two men, in which Hoyle asked Blackford to withdraw or amend his statement to include "inadvertently", Blackford left the Chamber before being the Speaker could formally remove him.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford KICKED OUT of House of Commons after Boris Johnson criticism
Under parliamentary rules, members are not permitted to call each other liars or accuse them of misleading the House.
National contributor Lesley Riddoch tweeted: "Great stand by Ian Blackford who refused to withdraw what we all know to be true - Boris Johnson has misled the Commons. Speaker has made Mother of Parliaments look ridiculous by ordering him out. Why can MPs not call a spade a spade? Are they representative of the public or not?"
Great stand by Ian Blackford who refused to withdraw what we all know to be true - Boris Johnson has misled the Commons. Speaker has made Mother of Parliaments look ridiculous by ordering him out. Why can MPs not call a spade a spade? Are they representative of the public or not?
— Lesley Riddoch (@LesleyRiddoch) January 31, 2022
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