Assertion on partygate report delayed not less than a day as finalisation course of drags on

A press release to MPs by Boris Johnson on the Sue Grey “partygate” report has been delayed not less than till Thursday, because the Home of Commons reached the tip of as we speak’s sitting with none signal of the hotly-anticipated doc.

The report, trying into allegations of lockdown breaches at as many as 15 occasions in Downing Road and Whitehall departments, had not been handed to No 10 by the point the Commons adjourned.

There’s nonetheless a chance that the report might be revealed this night forward of a debate tomorrow.

However expectations in Westminster have been that the political world must wait not less than till Thursday to see the findings of the Whitehall mandarin.

Mr Johnson has promised to publish Ms Grey’s findings after which make an announcement to the Commons and reply to questions from MPs.

The choice on the timing of publication is for the prime minister, and it’s thought No 10 will maintain it again for a number of hours to allow them to digest the report, and can then permit MPs a while to learn it earlier than going to the Commons.

There was no official rationalization from the Cupboard Workplace for the failure to ship the Grey report back to Mr Johnson over the course of Wednesday.

It’s understood that Ms Grey has accomplished the report, and that it’s now going by the method of ultimate sign-off, which might contain checks by legal professionals and human assets groups and affirmation from the Metropolitan Police that nothing inside it will minimize throughout their separate felony inquiry.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle indicated earlier as we speak that he was able to droop the Home earlier than reconvening within the night if No 10 requested a late assertion.

However his deputy Dame Rosie Winterton later clarified that this might occur provided that the request got here in earlier than