There’s been significant backlash after Scotland Yard revealed that the Sue Gray inquiry has been asked to make ‘minimal reference’ to events being investigated by the police.
Sue Gray’s report was expected to be published earlier this week, but it has faced delays following the announcement that the Metropolitan Police were launching their own investigation into alleged parties held at Downing Street during lockdown.
Now Scotland Yard has stated that they are in communication with the Cabinet Office to ensure the report ‘avoids any prejudice’ to their investigation.
In a statement released on Friday morning, Scotland Yard said: “For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.
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“The Met did not ask for any limitations on other events in the report, or for the report to be delayed, but we have had ongoing contact with the Cabinet Office, including on the content of the report, to avoid any prejudice to our investigation.”
It suggests that Ms Gray will either have to make significant changes to her report before publication or delay it until after the police inquiry concludes.
The civil servant has been investigating allegations that parties took place at No 10 during lockdown.
But a further inquiry was launched by the police, which was announced by Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick this week.
Dame Cressida said on Tuesday that a "number of events" in Downing Street and Whitehall are being looked at by officers but the force has not said which ones.
There’s been confusion over the overlapping investigations and when results will be published, and it’s understood that lawyers and officials have been scrutinising the report before it can be received by Downing Street.
What do you think of the latest development? Have your say in our comments below
Scotland Yard’s latest statement has been challenged by lawyers who’ve taken to Twitter to express their concerns, with some branding the move as a ‘cover up’
Lawyer Adam Wagner, who interprets Covid regulations, tweeted: "I am not a criminal lawyer so perhaps I am missing something.
"How would a factual civil service report about events the police is investigating "prejudice" their investigation?"
Author The Secret Barrister responded: “I am a criminal lawyer, and I too must be missing something, because there is no reason I can see as to why an independent police criminal investigation would in any way be influenced by, or would seek to influence, a civil service report.”
Barrister and writer Rupert Myers tweeted: “The police have had weeks to conduct their investigation since the story blew up, but despite having had officers on the ground with knowledge of these events for years, they’ve waited until the eve of the public report to start worrying about it. It stinks of a cover up.”
And former chief crown prosecutor for North West England, Nazir Afzal, said: “This is absolute nonsense from the Met Police. A purely factual report by Sue Gray cannot possibly prejudice a police investigation.
"They just have to follow the evidence, of which the report will be a part.”
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