Prime Minister Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street in November 2020
(Picture: Sue Gray Report)Downing Street was on Monday unable to confirm if the No10 staff who mistreated cleaners and security staff while holding boozy lockdown gatherings had been caught and punished.
In a damning partyate report published last week, Sue Gray said she was “made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff” following events where “excessive” amounts of alcohol were consumed.
Boris Johnson said he had apologised to cleaners for the “absolutely inexcusable” behaviour and would root out those who were responsible.
It was suggested after a meeting of the 1922 committee on Thursday that those responsible had left their posts in No10.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister wasn't happy when he read those sections of the report and we set out last week that the Prime Minister has spoken and apologised to those involved.
“Obviously the report doesn't name individuals with regard to that. So the Prime Minister has asked anybody who that may have referenced to come forward and apologise themselves.”
But he added that he could not say if anyone had been sacked or spoken to because they were rude to cleaning staff.
“It's not necessarily the case that we would know the individuals,” he said. “It was Sue Gray who investigated.”
Ms Gray described the treatment of cleaners and security staff as “unacceptable” and said they had felt unable to raise their concerns.
One cleaner who attended a room in Downing Street following a Christmas party found “red wine spilled on one wall and on a number of boxes of photocopier paper”, according to the report.
The day after the party, Mr Johnson announced London was being put under Tier 4 Covid restrictions because of the speed the virus was spreading in the capital.
The PM’s spokesman added: “Any HR or disciplinary matters will be dealt with confidentially.”
