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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Jedidajah Otte (now) and Andrew Sparrow (earlier)

Boris Johnson apologises in wake of Sue Gray report as Met police given 300 photos linked to No 10 parties – as it happened

Boris Johnson Sue Gray Carrie Johnson Caroline Johnson No 10 Downing Street (Organization) Jessica Elgot NHS Cabinet Office (Organization) Ian Blackford

Evening Summary

Here the latest key developments at a glance:

  • The Metropolitan police has received 300 images and 500 pages of documents about the partygate allegations from the Sue Gray inquiry. It is working “at pace” to contact people present, who may face a fine, it said.
  • Boris Johnson refused to commit to resigning if he is fined by police for breaking lockdown rules.
  • The prime minister initally refused to commit to publishing the report in full once the police inquiry has concluded, but said later he is “considering” the publication of further details.
  • A short while later, Downing Street said Sue Gray will be given the chance to publish an “update” of her findings in full once the police inquiry is over.
  • Snap polls into how the public is reacting to today’s events in the Commons and the details that have been published from Sue Gray’s report so far are fairly consistent: Opinium found 64% want the PM to resign, YouGov 63% and Savanta 69%.
  • A meeting of Boris Johnson, Tory MPs and ministers resulted in different verdicts from MPs about the PM’s future, with some saying he will be safe for now after he turned the mood, while others predicted partygate and the PM’s troubles aren’t going anywhere.
  • The Tory MP Angela Richardson has become the first member of the government to resign over partygate, and said she stepped down as Michael Gove’s parliamentary private secretary last week over the Sue Gray report, citing “failings at Number Ten Downing Street that let us all down” and “deep disappointment” in the prime minister.
  • The government has confirmed plans to scrap an order forcing all NHS staff in England to get vaccinated against Covid, in a U-turn that will prevent an exodus of thousands of frontline health workers.
  • Foreign secretary Liz Truss has tested positive for Covid, shortly after she attended a packed Commons session and Tory MP meeting without wearing a face mask.

That’s all from me, this blog will now close, goodnight.

Updated

My colleagues Rowena Mason and Jessica Elgot have written up a report about the Sue Gray findings that have been published so far, and Boris Johnson’s latest attempt to cling on:

A thread from Ben Riley-Smith, the Telegraph’s political editor, on partygate, what could come next, and what the repercussions might be for Boris Johnson:

And here we have another snap poll on what the public thinks of Boris Johnson’s handling of and role in partygate:

This from Politics Home’s Adam Payne:

And here some comments from former Tory leadership candidate Rory Stewart:

From the Telegraph’s Allison Pearson on Boris Johnson’s performance today:

More from ITV’s Anushka Asthana on tonight’s mood in that meeting with Johnson and Tory MPs:

From the Times’ Henry Zeffman:

The Labour MP Clive Lewis has reacted to today’s scenes in the Commons with a thread on Twitter. Here some excerpts:

From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg:

This on Lynton Crosby from Christopher Hope:

And here a bit of context from my colleague Jim Waterson:

Updated

This from ITV’s Anushka Asthana:

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow acknowledged it had been a “difficult day” but said there was support for the prime minister.

Bristow told reporters he left the meeting “absolutely pumped”, adding that nobody in the meeting had called for Johnson to go.

Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, has announced a little while ago that she has Covid. She attended tonight’s Commons session, without wearing a mask, and the packed meeting with the PM and Tory MPs.

Updated

And this from the FT’s Sebastian Payne:

More from Jessica Elgot:

And this from the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope:

This from Sky News’s Jon Craig:

This from the Guardian’s Jessica Elgot:

Updated

Here an astonishing interview with the former leader of the Scottish Tories Ruth Davidson with Channel 4 about the PM’s conduct:

Sir Charles Walker, Conservative MP for Broxbourne, said the language used about people who decide not to get vaccinated - maybe due to a phobia of needles, like him - is a “disgrace”.

The vice chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee told MPs:

I promised my wife that I would stop being angry, and I just can’t. These people that we cast as pariahs long before vaccines existed day in and day out came into hospitals and care homes and held the hands of the dying because their children and grandchildren couldn’t do that.

They were doing this while most people in this House were sitting on their backsides safely at home.

Now, by all means let’s encourage people to get vaccines, but the language we use about these people who, for whatever reason, maybe needle-phobia like me, have chosen not to get vaccinated, are somehow deserving of our bile is a disgrace and it doesn’t reflect badly on them, it reflects badly on us.

Sajid Javid said he agreed with Walker that “vaccines are safe and effective”, adding:

They are the most important weapon in fighting this pandemic and they remain the most important weapon.

This from Alastair McLellan, the editor of the Health Service Journal:

Government to U-turn on NHS staff vaccine mandate

After much speculation there is some certainty regarding one issue at last - the government plans to U-turn on the requirement for health and social care workers in England to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to continue in their roles and is looking to scrap the policy following a consultation.

The health secretary, Sajid Javid, told the House of Commons earlier he believed it was “no longer proportionate” to require vaccination as a condition of deployment under law:

First, I have written to professional regulators operating across health to ask them to urgently review current guidance to registrants on vaccinations, including Covid-19, to emphasise their professional responsibilities in this area.

Second, I have asked the NHS to review its policies on the hiring of new staff and the deployment of existing staff, taking into account their vaccination’s status, and third, I’ve asked my officials to consult on updating my department’s code of practice, which applies to all CQC (Care Quality Commission) registered providers of all health care and social care settings in England.

They will consult on strengthening requirements in relation to Covid-19, including reflecting the latest advice on infection protection control.

Javid said it was only right to review the policy, given that the Delta variant had now been replaced by the milder Omicron.

Announcing a consultation, he told the Commons:

Subject to the responses and the will of this house, the government will revoke the regulations.

I have always been clear that our rules must remain proportionate and balanced, and of course, should we see another dramatic change in the virus, it would be only responsible to review this policy again.

The health and social care select committee chairman and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has criticised the U-turn plans, saying:

Frontline workers have done an extraordinary job in this pandemic but I have yet to meet a single one who believes that anyone who comes in contact with patients has a right to put them to increased risk by not having a vaccine unless there is a medial exemption.

My concern is that having marched the NHS to the top of the hill, having actually won an very important patient safety argument, we are now doing a U-turn.

What will happen the next time the secretary of state wants to introduce an important vaccine, for example for flu, and make it mandatory? Isn’t the real reason we made this decision because we have a staffing crisis to which the government has still not brought forward its plan to address and when will those plans be brought forward?

Javid responded:

I hope he will understand ... that when the facts change it is right for the government to review the policy and determine whether it is still in proportion.

The one big thing that has changed is that since this policy was originally implemented we have moved from 99% of Covid infections being Delta, to 99% being Omicron, and that is the reason why we have had to change approach.

Hunt has outlined his views on the matter further in a Twitter thread:

Updated

An interesting thread from the Independent’s Lizzie Dearden on claims Boris Johnson made in the Commons today about the government having cut crime “by 14%”, which contradicts findings the ONS published last week.

According to PA, Jacob-Rees Mogg also said after tonight’s meeting between the PM and Tory MPs:

We’ve got to remember how well the prime minister has done in the general run of being prime minister.

Rees-Mogg added Boris Johnson had a “determination to put things right” and that “you can’t ignore a majority of 80”.

He said:

So many people voted personally for Boris Johnson rather than voting for political parties.

Politicians have to accept that our bosses are the British people, and they voted for that, they put him in office.

This from ITV’s Robert Peston:

Some interesting poll results coming in:

And this from Sky’ News’s Alix Culbertson:

Here an interesting line from ITV News’s Anushka Asthana on the meeting between the PM and a room full of Tory PMs tonight:

This just in from the Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges on reports that Carrie Johnson’s friends allegedly held a Downing Street victory Abba party on the day Dominic Cummings left:

More details from the meeting:

Some takes on what No 10’s announcement that the full Sue Gray report could be published once the police inquiry has concluded might mean for the PM:

Updated

This from my colleague Jessica Elgot:

From ITV’s Romilly Weeks:

Another update from the corridor outside the meeting room from the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope:

Cabinet minister and Johnson defender No 1 Nadine Dorries has commented on today’s events:

This from my colleague Jessica Elgot:

Boris Johnson is now in a meeting with Tory MPs in the Commons, with ministers attending also:

Updated

The Tory MP Angela Richardson has published a statement on her Facebook page this afternoon saying she resigned last week as Michael Gove’s parliamentary private secretary over the Sue Gray report, citing “failings at Number Ten Downing Street that let us all down” and “deep disappointment” in Boris Johnson:

Hello, I’m Jedidajah Otte and I’ll be taking over now. If you would like to get in touch with relevant comments or updates, you can reach me on Twitter @JedySays or via email.

No 10 says Sue Gray will be given chance to publish full partygate findings

A few minutes ago Downing Street issued a statement saying Sue Gray will be given chance to publish her findings in full once the police inquiry is over. A No 10 spokesperson said:

Given the police have said they are investigating a number of events, it would not be appropriate to comment further while the Met’s investigation is ongoing.

But, at the end of the process, the prime minister will ask Sue Gray to update her work in light of what is found. He will publish that update.

However, the prime minister is clear we must not judge an ongoing investigation and his focus now is on addressing the general findings.

This is a significant shift from the position set out earlier, at the morning and afternoon lobby briefings, and by the PM in the chamber. Johnson, who is due to address his MPs in private later this evening, clearly realised that failing to commit to the publication of the Gray report in full after the police inquiry is over was unsustainable.

This will lessen the anger of some Conservative MPs this evening. But it means any hope of burying the most incriminating partygate findings has gone. Earlier No 10 did seem to think that might be a possible escape route.

(Unless the police inquiry results in cases going to court, which is not usual for lockdown offences, it will just lead to people being fined. In these cases the police do not have to release their evidence. It is not even clear if we will ever find out the names of all those fined.)

That is all from me for today. My colleague Jedidajah Otte is now taking over.

Updated

Johnson's statement to MPs - verdict

Boris Johnson is famous for his reluctance to apologise. But in the past, under pressure, he has on occasion made an effort to sound apologetic or contrite about his conduct, as he did when speaking about partygate at PMQs almost three weeks ago. But today, when faced with a report showing that 12 events in Downing Street or the Cabinet Office, including one in his own flat, are under investigation by the police as potential “flagrant” breaches of lockdown rules (see 3.08pm), he could barely maintain the apologetic tone for more than about a minute. Instead he claimed the police investigation absolved him of the need to answer detailed questions, and he resorted to smearing the opposition and making hackneyed boasts about delivery.

Even by Johnson’s standards, it was tone deaf. “I get it and I will fix it,” he said in his opening statement. But he implied the problem was a machinery of government one, not one relating to leadership or standards. And the long-promised shake-up of No 10 sounded like little more than a change to the departmental name at the top of the notepaper. (See 3.56pm.)

Perhaps the reporting in the Sunday Times yesterday about the threat of an imminent no confidence vote fading (see 9.42am) has lulled him into a false sense of security. Keir Starmer’s response may have sounded a tad pious to some, but it was compelling, and delivered with much more sincerity than Johnson’s initial apology. It was probably much closer to where public opinion lies. (See 4.23pm.)

Despite the support for some Tory MPs, on the basis of that performance Johnson’s position is probably less secure than it was first thing this morning. Perhaps the most worrying development for him is what we have learned about the extent of the partygate evidence now sitting with the police. Sue Gray interviewed more than 70 witnesses, and the police have 500 pages of documents, as well as 300 photos. Allegations of law breaking are not going to go away soon.

Updated

At the afternoon lobby briefing the prime minister’s spokesman said No 10 was “looking to finalise the time” for Boris Johnson’s call with Vladimir Putin. (See 5.11am.) The spokesman said:

It’s not unusual for timings with world leaders to change and you will appreciate the control of the timing for the receipt of this report rightly [was] with Sue Gray and her team, and the prime minister had committed to come to the house to make an update.

The statement from Johnson has just finished. Here are comments from three journalists what he’s said.

From ITV’s Robert Peston

From Newsnight’s Lewis Goodall

From Byline Times’ Adam Bienkov

Here is a Reuters fact check on the claim that Keir Starmer was to blame for the decision not to prosecute Jimmy Savile. The claim is false, it says. “There is no evidence to suggest Sir Keir Starmer, then DPP of the CPS, was directly involved in the decision not to prosecute Jimmy Savile,” it says.

From the Critic’s Robert Hutton

No 10 says full Gray report could be published after police inquiry over - but final decision up to PM

From my colleague Jessica Elgot

Hilary Benn (Lab) asks if a date has been set for the police to interview Boris Johnson.

Johnson says the police are independent and must be allowed to get on with the inquiry.

Marion Fellows (SNP) asks who will pay if Johnson is fined - Johnson himself, or a Tory donor?

Johnson says Fellows should wait for the results of the inquiry.

Anna McMorrin (Lab) says Johnson has misjuged the mood of the country. She says he should resign.

Johnson say he disagrees. He claims he does understand the public mood.

Updated

Rachael Maskell (Lab) asks who is paying for the police inquiry, and who is paying Johnson’s legal costs.

Johnson says the police are paying for their own inquiry. He ignores the question about his own legal costs.

Boris Johnson has missed a call with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, scheduled for this afternoon because he has been in the Commons taking questions on partygate, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar reports.

In response, David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, said:

Amid a dangerous crisis threatening peace in Europe, a vital diplomatic opportunity has been missed as Boris Johnson scrambles to hold on to his job.

These are the real world consequences of a distracted prime minister unfit for office running a government in disarray.

Johnson refuses to commit to resigning if fined by police for breaking lockdown rules

Asked by Alex Norris (Lab) if he will resign if issued with a fine by the Met police, Johnson says MPs should wait for the outcome of the police inquiry.

Back in the Commons, in response to a question about his impact on integrity in public life, Boris Johnson for the second time this afternoon argues that delivering Brexit was something that restored trust in politics.

Updated

Met says it has received 300 pictures and 500 pages of documents from Gray

The Metropolitan police has revealed it has received 300 images and 500 pages of documents about the partygate allegations from the Sue Gray inquiry. It is is working “at pace” to contact people present, who may face a fine, it said.

The Met said:

We are now reviewing it at pace to confirm which individuals will need to be contacted for their account. This prioritisation will include reviewing all the material from the Cabinet Office, which includes more than 300 images and over 500 pages of information.

The Met confirmed the events it is investigating include two the PM admits attending - albeit he insists briefly - in the Downing Street garden in May 2020 and a birthday celebration thrown for him in the cabinet room.

It also confirmed it is investigating an event in the Downing Street flat held on the day Dominic Cummings left his job.

The Met also defended its decision to ask Gray to withhold key detail of the worst breaches. It is the Met’s third attempt at an explanation following a barrage of criticism. The Met said:

The reason this request is necessary is that in any investigation officers seek independent accounts from each individual, as free from the influence of others’ recollections as possible.

Officers would also seek to avoid providing details of their investigation in advance to those they contact, so that individuals are not tempted to shape their accounts according to what is in the public domain.

Updated

Johnson suggests Labour frontbenchers have drug problem

Luke Pollard (Lab) asks if there was a culture of drug-taking in No 10.

Johnson says any drug-taking would be excessive. He says Pollard should address his question to the Labour frontbench.

Updated

Nick Smith (Lab) asks why the PM thought No 10 staff felt they could not raise concerns about the partygate activities. (See 3.08pm)

Johnson does not provide an answer, but he says he accepts the recommendation that this problem should be tackled.

Quite a few Conservative MPs are defending Boris Johnson in this session, mostly by arguing that partygate is not the key issue for voters and by praising him for focusing on matters like immigration, although it would be fair to say that those taking this stance have generally not been among the party’s most senior and experienced backbenchers.

Sky’s Sam Coates been keeping a list of Tories who have not been offering their full support. It includes the former prime minister, and other former ministers.

Wayne David (Lab) asks Johnson if he accepts that what Sue Gray said about “failures of leadership” (see 3.08pm) applied to him.

Johnson says he accepts the report in full.

Updated

Met police say they've received more than 300 partygate photographs from Gray inquiry

The police have received more than 300 photographs of the partygate events, the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg says.

PA Media reports:

Police investigating Downing Street parties have been given more than 300 photos and 500 pieces of paper, Metropolitan Police Commander Catherine Roper said.

Updated

Clive Efford (Lab) says the PM told MPs last year he had been assured there were no parties. That led to him inadvertently misleading the house. Have they been disciplined?

Johnson says they need to wait for the outcome of the police investigation. He says Efford may or may not be right.

Aaron Bell (Con) says when his grandmother died during the pandemic only 10 people were allowed at the funeral. After it was over he could not even stop for a cup of tea before a three-hour drive home. Does the PM think he was a fool?

No, says Johnson.

Updated

Richard Fuller (Con) asks if the PM will accept the recommendations in the report. Johnson says he will.

Starmer's speech saying Johnson is unfit for office

Keir Starmer’s speech a few minutes ago was the most withering and damning he has ever delivered about Boris Johnson, in the Commons or elsewhere. This is what he said:

The prime minister repeatedly assured the House that the guidance was followed and the rules were followed. But we now know that 12 cases have breached the threshold for criminal investigation, which I remind the House means that there is evidence of serious and flagrant breaches of lockdown, including the party on May 20 2020, which we know the prime minister attended, and the party on November 13 2020 in the prime minister’s flat.

There can be no doubt that the prime minister himself is now subject to criminal investigation. The prime minister must keep his promise to publish Sue Gray’s report in full when it is available, but it is already clear what the report disclosed is the most damning conclusion possible.

By routinely breaking the rules he set, the prime minister took us all for fools, he held people’s sacrifice in contempt, he showed himself unfit for office.

His desperate denials since he was exposed have only made matters worse. Rather than come clean, every step of the way he’s insulted the public’s intelligence.

And now he’s finally fallen back on his usual excuse: it’s everybody’s fault but his. They go, he stays. Even now he is hiding behind a police investigation into criminality in his home and his office.

He gleefully treats what should be a mark of shame as a welcome shield. But prime minister, the British public aren’t fools, they never believed a word of it, they think the prime minister should do the decent thing and resign.

Of course he won’t because he is a man without shame and just as he has done throughout his life, he’s damaged everyone and everything around him along the way.

His colleagues have spent weeks defending the indefensible, touring the TV studios parroting his absurd denials, degrading themselves and their offices, fraying the bond of trust between the government and the public, eroding our democracy and the rule of law.

[Margaret Thatcher said] ‘the first duty of government is to uphold the law. If it tries to bob and weave and duck around that duty when it is inconvenient, then so will the governed.’

To govern this country is an honour, not a birthright. It’s an act of service to the British people, not the keys to a court to parade to your friends.

It requires honesty, integrity and moral authority. I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me that this prime minister’s lack of integrity is somehow ‘priced in’, that his behaviour and character don’t matter. I have never accepted that and I never will accept that.

Whatever your politics, whatever party you vote for, honesty and decency matter. Our great democracy depends on it, and cherishing and nurturing British democracy is what it means to be patriotic.

There are members opposite who know that, and they know the prime minister is incapable of it. The question they must ask themselves is what are they going to do about it?

They can heap their reputations, the reputation of their party and the reputation of this country on the bonfire that is his leadership, or they can spare the country from a prime minister totally unworthy of his responsibilities. It is their duty to do so.

They know better than anyone how unsuitable he is for high office, many of them knew in their hearts that we would inevitably come to this one day, and they know that as night follows day, continuing his leadership will mean further misconduct, cover-up and deceit.

It is only they who can end this farce. The eyes of the country are upon them. They will be judged on the decisions they take now.

Karl Turner (Lab) says the PM told MPs last year there was no party in the Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020. (See 3.21pm.) But now we know the police are investigating one there, he says. Will the PM correct the record?

Johnson says he stands by what he said. He urges Turner to wait for the outcome of the inquiry.

Updated

Labour’s Jess Phillips asks Johnson if he was at the party in the Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020 being investigated by the police. This is the one reportedly hosted by his wife to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings.

Johnson says he cannot comment on something being investigated by the police.

Updated

Johnson refuses to commit to publishing Sue Gray's findings in full after police inquiry over

Labour’s Diane Abbott asked Johnson if he would publish the Sue Gray report in full once the police inquiry is over, but Johnson sidestepped the question. Mark Harper, the former Tory chief whip, has just tried again. Johnson said he would take a decision at the time. He said he would have to consider if people gave evidence not expecting it to be published.

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, asks the PM if he understands the hurt he has caused to bereaved families who missed funerals, while No 10 was partying. Will he resign?

Johnson says he does understand, and has apologised. But we should await the findings of the inquiry, and get on with what matters to people, he says.

Andrew Mitchell, the former Tory international development secretary, says he has supported Johnson since he played a role in getting him on the Conservative party’s candidates list 30 years ago. But now he can no longer support him, he says.

Updated

SNP leader Ian Blackford ordered to leave Commons for calling Johnson liar

Blackford ends his response saying Johnson has misled the house.

The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, asks him to withdraw the charge. MPs are not allowed to accuse each other of lying.

Blackford repeats his charge. He says Johnson has “lied and misled” the house.

Hoyle asks him again to withdraw. Blackford says the PM may have inadvertently misled the house.

Johnson responds, saying Blackford is wrong.

Hoyle asks Blackford to clarify that he did withdraw the claim. This time Blackford is clear that he is not withdrawing. Hoyle says he must suspend Blackford, but Blackford is leaving anyway.

Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, says Johnson has wilfully misled the house.

The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, asks him to withraw. Blackford replaces the word wilfully with inadvertently.

He says the SNP will table a motion calling for the Gray report to be published in full.

He tells MPs that Johnson is now laughing in response.

Theresa May says PM either had not read Covid rules, or did not understand them, or thought he was exempt

Theresa May, the former PM, says people had a right to expect Boris Johnson to have understood the rules, and to follow them.

But the Gray report shows No 10 was not following the rules. Either Johnson had not read them, or he did not understand them, or he thought they did not apply to him. Which was it?

Johnson says that is not what the report says.

UPDATE: May said:

The Covid regulations imposed significant restrictions on the freedoms of members of the public. They had a right to expect their prime minister to have read the rules, to understand the meaning of the rules and indeed those around him to have done so too and to set an example in following those rules.

What the Gray report does show is that No 10 Downing Street was not observing the regulations they had imposed on members of the public, so either my right honourable friend had not read the rules or didn’t understand what they meant and others around him, or they didn’t think the rules applied to No 10. Which was it?

Updated

Johnson accuses Starmer of talking “tissue of nonsense”.

He claims Starmer is trying to prejudge the police inquiry.

And he criticises Starmer for not prosecuting Jimmy Savile when he was DPP.

Updated

Starmer says Johnson is 'man without shame' and Tory MPs should remove him

Keir Starmer says the PM himself is now subject to criminal investigation.

The report includes the most damning conclusion possible, he says.

For the past two years the British people have endured a collective trauma.

Revelations about the PM’s behaviour have forced people to relive what happened. And some people have felt guilt – guilt that because they did not ignore the rules like Johnson, they missed the chance to seeing a dying relative.

People should not feel guilt, he says. By following the rules, they may have saved lives.

But Johnson’s conduct has made people feel like fools, he says.

And he says Johnson has fallen back on his usual excuse, that it is everyone’s fault but his.

Now he is shielding behind the police investigation, he says.

He says Johnson should resign. But he won’t because “he is a man without shame”.

Starmer says Johnson damages all the people around him. And he has damaged those ministers who have tried to defend him.

He says Margaret Thatcher said the first duty of government was to obey the law. Governing this country is an honour, not a birthright.

I can’t tell you how many times people have said to me that this prime minister’s lack of integrity is somehow priced in that is behaviour and character don’t matter.

I have never accepted that. And I never will accept that.

Whatever your politics, whichever party you vote for, honesty and decency matters. Our great democracy depends on it, and cherishing and nurturing democracy is what it means to be patriotic.

There are members opposite who know that they that and they know the prime minister is incapable of it. The question they must now ask themselves is what are they going to do about it.

He says it is the duty of Tory MPs now to get rid of Johnson.

Updated

Johnson is now talking about government achievements. He says he can be trusted to deliver, and he lists promises on which he says he is delivering.

Johnson says he will review the codes of conduct of civil servants and advisers.

And he will announce in due course measures to strengthen the way No 10 works, he says.

He says: “I get it, and I will fix it.”

Updated

Johnson says he will create Office of the Prime Minister at No 10

Johnson says it is not enough to say sorry; “We must learn,” he says.

He says no conclusions should be drawn from the fact the police are investigating.

But he says he will sort out Downing Street now.

He says he will create an Office of the Prime Minister, with a permanent secretary.

Updated

Boris Johnson's statement to MPs on Sue Gray's report

Boris Johnson is starting his statement now.

He thanks Sue Gray for her report.

He starts by saying “sorry”. He is sorry for what he did not get right.

It is no use saying this or that was within the rules, he says.

He says he understands the anger people feel.

From the i’s Paul Waugh

Updated

Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, has restated his call for Boris Johnson to resign in the light of the Sue Gray report/update out today. In a statement he 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.

Updated

The FDA, the union representing senior civil servants, says the full Sue Gray report must be published eventually. In a statement, its general secretary, Dave Penman, said:

Whilst many in Westminster and beyond will be disappointed that there is a further delay in publishing the report, it is clearly the right decision for Sue Gray to make, given the restrictions imposed by the Metropolitan police.

There is significant public interest in Sue Gray’s investigation and the publication of any partial or redacted details would inevitably be criticised and raise further doubt about whether the full report would be published later. The prime minister must now commit to publishing the report in full as soon as he is able to do so.

The general findings will make uncomfortable reading for all of those in leadership positions in No.10, whether political or official. While no one can question their commitment and hard work when they led the country’s response to the pandemic, they were not alone, as hundreds of thousands of key workers in the public and private sector made extraordinary sacrifices throughout this time. Whatever led to a culture where they lost a sense of perspective has to be addressed quickly, as the report recommends.

Here is my colleague Rowena Mason’s snap story about the Gray report.

These are from the Today programme presenter Nick Robinson, a former BBC political editor.

Labour’s Chris Bryant says the Sue Gray report, or “update” to give it its proper title, should trigger Boris Johnson’s resignation.

The Telegraph’s Lucy Fisher highlights one of the previous Boris Johnson denials that the PM may find particularly hard to justify this afternoon.

From the Daily Mail’s Jason Groves

From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg

Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street a few minutes ago ahead of his statement in the Commons on the Sue Gray report.
Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street a few minutes ago ahead of his statement in the Commons on the Sue Gray report. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

Summary of key points from Sue Gray's report

Although the pdf runs to 12 pages, in fact the Sue Gray report only really runs to five and a half pages. The rest of is taken up with two factual and non-contentious annexes, and blank space.

But the five and a half pages we have got are nevertheless quite damning. Here are the key things we have learnt.

  • Twelve gatherings at Downing Street and in the Cabinet Office are now being investigated by the police, including one in the Downing Street flat. That is a reference to a party allegedly held by Carrie Symonds, the PM’s wife, to celebrate the departure of Dominic Cummings on 13 November 2020. That is more than previously thought. The party in the No 10 garden attended by Boris Johnson himself is also being investigated. Last week Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan police commissioner, said her force was only investigating cases apparently involving “the most serious and flagrant” breaches of Covid rules. She said three factors applied in these cases: “that there was evidence that those involved knew or ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence; where not investigating would significantly undermine the legitimacy of the law; and where there was little ambiguity around the absence of any reasonable defence.”
  • Gray believes that the fact that these events were allowed to go ahead shows “a serious failure to observe ... high standards” and “failures of leadership”. She does not say where these failures of leadership occurred, but she does not exonerate Johnson himself. (See 2.29pm.)
  • She says there were staff who did have concerns about what was happening who felt unable to speak out. That casts doubt on Johnson’s claim that staff felt what they were doing was within the rules. (See 2.32pm.)
  • She says there was an excessive drinking culture at No 10 or in the Cabinet Office. (See 2.29pm.)
  • She says leadership structures in No 10 are too fragmented and complicated. (See 2.32pm.)
  • She says too much was expected of “the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the prime minister”. (See 2.32pm.) That seems to be a reference to Martin Reynolds, the PM’s principal private secretary, who at one point had been expected to emerge as the main fall guy from this report.
  • She says the government should respond to what went wrong “immediately” instead of waiting for the outcome of the police investigation. (See 2.26pm.)

Updated

Gray admits report does not provide 'meaningful' account of partygate because of omissions requested by police

Sue Gray admits that the document out today does not amount to a “meaningful report” into what happened because of the omissions requested by the police. She says:

As a result of the Metropolitan police’s investigations, and so as not to prejudice the police investigative process, they have told me that it would only be appropriate to make minimal reference to the gatherings on the dates they are investigating. Unfortunately, this necessarily means that I am extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather.

In respect of the gatherings that the Metropolitan police has assessed as not reaching the threshold for criminal investigation; they have not requested any limitations be placed on the description of those events, however, I have decided not to publish factual accounts in relation to those four dates. I do not feel that I am able to do so without detriment to the overall balance of the findings.

Updated

Gray reveals 12 gatherings at No 10 and in Cabinet Office now being investigated by the police

In her report Sue Gray says she looked at 16 separate gatherings. Some of them took place on the same day. The full list is on page three, at paragraph 5.

She reveals that 12 of them are now subject to a police investigation.

Staff who did have concerns about partygate felt unable to speak out, says Gray

And here are the other paragraphs published under the “general findings” headline.

The use of the garden at No 10 Downing Street should be primarily for the prime minister and the private residents of No 10 and No 11 Downing Street. During the pandemic it was often used as an extension of the workplace as a more Covid-secure means of holding group meetings in a ventilated space. This was a sensible measure that staff appreciated, but the garden was also used for gatherings without clear authorisation or oversight. This was not appropriate. Any official access to the space, including for meetings, should be by invitation only and in a controlled environment.

Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so. No member of staff should feel unable to report or challenge poor conduct where they witness it. There should be easier ways for staff to raise such concerns informally, outside of the line management chain.

The number of staff working in No 10 Downing Street has steadily increased in recent years. In terms of size, scale and range of responsibility it is now more akin to a small government department than purely a dedicated prime minister’s office. The structures that support the smooth operation of Downing Street, however, have not evolved sufficiently to meet the demands of this expansion. The leadership structures are fragmented and complicated and this has sometimes led to the blurring of lines of accountability. Too much responsibility and expectation is placed on the senior official whose principal function is the direct support of the prime minister. This should be addressed as a matter of priority.

Updated

Gray finds 'serious failure to observe high standards' at No 10 and 'failures of leadership'

And here are the most critical findings published under the heading “general findings”.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, when the government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behaviour surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify.

At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time.

At times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings, the risks they presented to public health and how they might appear to the public. There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times. Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.

The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time. Steps must be taken to ensure that every government department has a clear and robust policy in place covering the consumption of alcohol in the workplace.

Updated

Here is the one-paragraph conclusion.

The gatherings within the scope of this investigation are spread over a 20-month period – a period that has been unique in recent times in terms of the complexity and breadth of the demands on public servants and indeed the general public. The whole of the country rose to the challenge. Ministers, special advisers and the civil service, of which I am proud to be a part, were a key and dedicated part of that national effort. However, as I have noted, a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did. There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded.

Updated

The pdf says it runs to 12 pages, but three of them are empty.

Government publishes Sue Gray report

Here it is.

Updated

Nikki da Costa, who worked as director of legislative affairs in No 10 for Theresa May and Boris Johnson, says that, if the government tries to avoid publishing the full Sue Gray report once the police inquiry is over (see 12.38pm), Labour will force a vote on the matter.

From the Times’ Steven Swinford

The Sue Gray report is expected to be published online within the next few minutes. But the Green party MP Caroline Lucas thinks MPs are not being given enough time to read it.

Mark Spencer, the chief whip, arriving at No 10 a short while ago.
Mark Spencer, the chief whip, arriving at No 10 a short while ago. Photograph: Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Images

Ipsos Mori has published its latest monthly political monitor, and it shows that Boris Johnson’s ratings have fallen considerably since the partygate scandal erupted. Keiran Pedley from the polling company has posted some of the key charts on Twitter.

The report also suggests that, on the “Are the opposition ready to form the next government?” measure, Labour is doing better now than it has been doing at any other time since 2010.

Polling on Labour
Polling on Labour. Photograph: Ipsos MORI/Ipsos Mori

Updated

A protest outside Downing Street today, making a point about how long it has taken for the Sue Gray report to appear.
A protest outside Downing Street today, making a point about how long it has taken for the Sue Gray report to appear. Photograph: May James/Reuters

The Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi, the shadow international development minister, says Boris Johnson should resign – even though she says it would be in Labour’s interests for him to remain in office.

As my colleague Jessica Elgot wrote in an analysis last week, many Labour MPs do agree with Qureshi that it would be best for their party for Johnson to remain in office. But that is not a unanimous view; as Jess reports, there are Labour MPs in northern seats who think he is still a vote winner for the Tories, and that Labour would do better with him out of the way.

In an article for the Times’s Red Box (paywall) today, Ben Houchen, the Conservative Tees Valley mayor, also insists that Johnson remains an asset for his party. Houchen (whose admiration for Johnson is on a par with Johnson’s for him) writes:

If Boris is removed, the opportunity before us to rebalance our economy and society will be lost. Even worse, the levelling up agenda would be dead. Indeed, a communicator without the current prime minister’s unique skills would be fighting to be heard over the sound of a north London commentariat with ears only for the infighting within the Conservative Party. Meanwhile, voters in left behind areas would tune out, seeing themselves cheated of the prime minister they chose as their own and listening again to the siren voices of other parties both to the left and to the right.

Updated

Not publishing Sue Gray report in full after police inquiry would be 'disgraceful', says Ed Davey

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says Downing Street’s failure to commit to publishing the full Sue Gray report once the police inquiry is over (see 12.38pm and 12.58pm) is “disgraceful”. He said:

The fact that No 10 is back-pedalling on ever releasing the whole Sue Gray report is as disgraceful as it is predictable. This whole shambolic and dishonest government must be brought down.

Boris Johnson must confirm that the full report will be published as soon as possible. Every day it is delayed prolongs the pain for the millions across the country who just want answers and for justice to be done.

Updated

Summary of No 10 lobby briefing

And here is a full summary of the main lines from Downing Street lobby briefing.

  • The PM’s spokesperson said the report from Sue Gray received by No 10 today would be published before Boris Johnson’s statement to MPs at 3.30pm, in the form it was submitted this morning.
  • The spokesperson refused to say that a full report, including the most incriminating material being omitted today at the request of the police, would be published in future. Asked about this, he said:

Obviously we will need to consider what might be appropriate and we are discussing with the Cabinet Office team in due course about what might be appropriate, but at the moment it is unclear how the ongoing Met police investigation might interact with any further work on that. But obviously it’s something we will want to keep under review.

Asked again if the public would ever see a fuller version of the Gray report, the spokesperson said: “That’s one of the things I can’t confirm at this point simply because we need to discuss that with the Met and others about what is suitable.”

  • The spokesperson refused to confirm that, if Johnson received a fixed penalty notice (a fine) for breaking lockdown rules, he would make that public. Asked if he would, the spokesperson said that was a hypothetical question.
  • The spokesperson said that Johnson spoke to Gray about her report yesterday. He said:

My understanding is they spoke briefly yesterday. I think they briefly discussed the findings. I don’t know exactly what they discussed.

  • The spokesperson refused to comment on a report in the Sunday Times yesterday saying Johnson had been told not to take intelligence papers into his flat after an aide saw them left lying around there where any visitor could read them. The spokesperson said he would not comment on security arrangements. But he claimed the PM followed the necessary rules and guidance relating to such material.
  • Johnson will speak to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, this afternoon, the spokesman said.
  • Johnson will visit Ukraine tomorrow for a meeting with the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the spokesperson said. Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, will travel with him.
Broadcasters in Downing Street today.
Broadcasters in Downing Street today. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

Updated

No 10 refuses to commit to publishing Sue Gray report in full after police inquiry

At the Downing Street lobby briefing the prime minister’s spokesperson refused to say whether, once the police inquiry is over, the full Sue Gray report, including all the most incriminating material being withheld at the Met’s request from the document being published today, would be released.

These are from my colleague Peter Walker.

Updated

No 10 says Sue Gray's report to be published ahead of PM's Commons statement at 3.30pm

Downing Street has confirmed that it will published the Sue Gray report – or at least the vanilla version out today (see 11.22am) – before Boris Johnson delivers his statement to MPs at 3.30pm.

It will be published on the government’s website.

We have not got an exact timing. Sometimes a document like this might appear an hour or so before the Commons statement, but more often than not it drops much closer to the start of the ministerial speech in the chamber.

Updated

From Times Radio’s Tom Newton Dunn

There will be two other statements in the Commons after Boris Johnson’s, according to the parliamentary authorities. Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, will make a statement on Russian sanctions, and that will be followed by a statement from Sajid Javid, the health secretary, on the compulsory vaccine requirement for NHS workers. (See 9.42am.)

Johnson to make statement to MPs at 3.30pm on Sue Gray report

The Commons authorities have announced that Boris Johnson will make a statement to MPs at 3.30pm on the Sue Gray report.

In its press release on the “Brexit freedoms” bill, Downing Street cites the vaccine rollout as one of the benefits of Brexit. Simon Clarke, the chief secretary to the Treasury, made the same claim during his morning interview round, telling LBC: “The biggest single benefit [from Brexit] came in the form of the vaccine programme … in terms of both procuring vaccines and getting them safely licensed.”

The claim that vaccine approval was quicker in the UK because of Brexit is not true (see here or here, for example). It is arguable that a pro-European government might have been more willing to participate in the EU’s vaccine procurement programme than Boris Johnson’s, but that is supposition, not fact. Some EU countries made their own vaccine procurement arrangements, and even when it was in the EU, the UK frequently acted unilaterally when it could (as it could on this issue).

As Adam Bienkov from Byline Times reports, Clarke came out with another erroneous claim in a separate interview.

Updated

This is from Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, with the latest on her talks with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Maroš Šefčovič, on the Northern Ireland protocol. Neither side has given much away on how the talks are going, but even the reference to a “good call” marks an improvement from the days when Lord Frost was negotiating for the UK, and relations were (in all respects) frostier.

Updated

From the Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges

No 10 has now received Sue Gray's partygate 'update', Cabinet Office says

No 10 has now received the Sue Gray report, the Cabinet Office says.

Or at least a version of it. Here is the statement from a Cabinet Office spokesperson:

We can confirm that Sue Gray has provided an update on her investigations to the prime minister.

The description of the report as an “update” implies that Gray definitely does not see it as the finished version (she has had to leave out the most incriminating material at the request of the police), and perhaps that she does envisage publishing a final version once the police inquiry is over.

The use of the word “update” rather than report may also imply that the document coming today is even more minimal than anticipated.

Updated

Johnson claims 'Brexit freedoms' bill will boost investment in UK

And here are two more lines from Boris Johnson’s pooled interview this morning at Tilbury.

  • Johnson confirmed that Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is preparing a package of measures to help people cope with the rising cost of energy. He said:

We all understand the pressures that the cost-of-living crunch is putting on people and it is being driven by the inflation you are seeing around the world, particularly in energy costs. So, we’re going to be bringing forward ... I know the chancellor is looking at a package of things to abate energy costs.

There are things we can do differently and we think in a way that will encourage business to invest even more,” he told broadcasters during a visit to Tilbury docks.

In all the areas where the UK is strong – cyber, artificial intelligence, all the cutting-edge technologies of the future – we are going to make sure we do things differently and better, where appropriate.

We won’t diverge for the sake of it but we are going to make sure this is the number one place to do business and invest because of the freedoms that we have.

Obviously, any investment boost would have to be extraordinary to come even close to compensating for the 4% reduction in GDP that the UK is expected to suffer in the long term as a result of Brexit, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

Updated

From the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg

Johnson brushes aside claims revised Sue Gray report will be 'whitewash'

In his pooled interview in Essex, Boris Johnson brushed aside suggestions that the version of the Sue Gray report being published this week, with the most incriminating material removed at the request of the Met police (who believe its publication would compromise their own investigation), would be a “whitewash”. When this was put to him, he replied:

You are going to have to wait and see both what Sue says and of course what the Met says.

Updated

Boris Johnson is due to speak to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, this week. In his pooled TV interview, he said he would use the call to tell Putin that invading Ukraine would be a “disaster” for Russia. He said:

What I will say to the president, as I’ve said before, is that I think we really all need to step back from the brink and I think Russia needs to step back from the brink.

I think that an invasion of Ukraine, any incursion into Ukraine beyond the territory that Russia has already taken in 2014 would be an absolute disaster for the world, but above all it would be a disaster for Russia.

The Ukrainians would fight to protect their sovereignty, Johnson said.

Boris Johnson on a visit to Tilbury Docks in Essex this morning.
Boris Johnson on a visit to Tilbury docks in Essex this morning. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

No 10 expected to receive Sue Gray's report into partygate today

Here are more tweets from journalists who have been briefed that the Sue Gray report will almost certainly be handed over to No 10 today.

From Sky’s Beth Rigby

From the Times’ Steven Swinford

Johnson refuses to deny reports that he still believes he did nothing wrong personally over No 10 parties

In his interview Boris Johnson also refused to deny reports that in private he believes he has done nothing wrong in relation to parties at No 10. Asked repeatedly by the BBC’s Nick Eardley if he thought he had done nothing wrong, Johnson said that people would have to wait for the results of the investigations, but that he stood by what he had said in the past. “Of course I stick absolutely to what I’ve said in the past,” he said.

There have been many reports saying that, when speaking to Conservative MPs in private about partygate in recent week, Johnson has been telling them that he believes he personally did nothing wrong. This is how Tim Shipman reported it in his Sunday Times write-through (pawall) yesterday.

Johnson saw between 10 and 15 MPs on both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. He argued robustly that Partygate was a “witch-hunt” got up by Labour and the media, that he did nothing wrong and will bounce back. While he apologises that aides were out of control, a friend said, “he genuinely believes that when it all comes out when all facts are in the public domain that a fair-minded person will see that he was sincere when he said he followed the rules in No 10”.

Johnson’s line this morning that he stands by what he has said in the past is not especially helpful because he has given various different responses at various different times over recent weeks. He has told MPs in the Commons at first that rules were followed at all times, and later that he was assured that rules were followed at all times. In his latest formal apology to MPs, on 12 January, he said “there were things we simply did not get right and I must take responsibility. A week later, in his interview with Beth Rigby, he sounded more contrite, talking about his own misjudgments. Subsequently he has sounded more bullish.

But he has never admitted that he personally broke Covid regulations in force at the time, and if the police were to write to him, on the basis of the evidence compiled by Sue Gray, inviting him to pay a fine for breaching lockdown, it is not obvious that he would accept this. It is possible he could choose to fight the accusation in court.

Updated

Johnson refuses to deny reports that U-turn imminent on compulsory jabs for NHS staff

In his interview in Essex Boris Johnson said Sajid Javid, the health secretary, will make a statement on vaccination policy for NHS workers later. Johnson said he believed health workers should get vaccinated, but he would not confirm that the government would continue to make this compulsory for them.

Asked about the reports of a U-turn, he said:

My view on NHS workers, everybody involved in looking after vulnerable people, all healthcare professionals should get a vaccine. That’s absolutely clear.

I think that Sajid Javid, the health secretary, is saying a bit more later on about how you might deal with different variants of coronavirus because they have different implications when it comes to transmission.

Updated

These are from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.

Boris Johnson is in Essex this morning in a George Osborne outfit (the former chancellor specialised in photocalls featuring hard hats and hi-vis jackets – his lasting contribution to British political imagery). For Johnson, it makes a change from being in a hospital.

The PM has also recorded a broadcast interview. We are expecting to hear it shortly.

Boris Johnson visiting Tilbury Docks in Essex this morning.
Boris Johnson visiting Tilbury docks in Essex this morning. Photograph: Reuters

Updated

Frost says he could not serve as PM's chief of staff because of his opposition to NICs increase

Some Conservative commentators (like Allister Heath in the Telegraph last week) and MPs have suggested that, as part of his promised shake-up of No 10 following the publication of the Sue Gray report, Boris Johnson should make David Frost, his former Brexit minister, chief of staff. This argument appeals to those who believe that what Downing Street needs is not so much a dose of administrative efficiency but an ideological shift to a low-tax, less interventionist agenda.

This morning Frost says he could not take the job (which has not been offered to him, and was never likely to be, according to some reports) because of his opposition to the national insurance contributions (NICs) increase, which Johnson confirmed at the weekend will definitely go ahead.

Updated

Minister defends expected U-turn on jabs for NHS staff as No 10 poised for Sue Gray report

Good morning. The most moving feature on the BBC’s Today programme this morning was Rory Cellan-Jones talking about the death of his much-loved dog, Cabbage. But the main news agenda today is dominated by another tale of canine mortality, and it appears that the No 10 “Big Dog”, after two weeks in fear of being put down by his own party, has staged a comeback. Yesterday in the Sunday Times (paywall) Tim Shipman said that Johnson’s team are now “confident” that he is not facing an imminent no-confidence vote (unless there is some surprise development), and this morning it is hard to find anyone saying that Shipman, or his sources, are wrong.

Two weeks ago we saw No 10 embark on an “Operation Red Meat” strategy that flopped. Priti Patel, the home secretary, announced that the military would take charge of Channel crossings, only to annoy the Tory rightwingers who were supposed to be impressed and who felt it was a pointless stunt. And Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, announced the end of the BBC licence fee – before having to retreat somewhat 24 hours later.

This week we have another raft of “Red Meat” initiatives that seem to contain a bit more substance. A Brexit freedoms bill has been announced today, the levelling up white paper is expected on Wednesday, and Johnson is expected to visit Ukraine. My colleague Jessica Elgot has a summary here.

Of course, “Operation Red Meat” was all about protecting Johnson from the fallout from Sue Gray’s report into partygate. The intervention of the Met police on Friday means that when the report does appear, all the most incriminating passages will be removed or redacted. But it is still a potentially difficult moment for Johnson, and it may very well come today (although, given reporters have been saying that since last Wednesday, you will be forgiven for concluding it might just be best to wait).

As we do wait, in another “Red Meat” concession, ministers are also reportedly on the verge of dropping the requirement for frontline NHS staff to be fully vaccinated. In December 62 Conservative MPs voted against this plan, and in the Daily Telegraph (paywall) Gabriella Swirling and Ben Riley-Smith report: “Multiple government sources said ministers are expected to end the requirement because the Omicron Covid variant, now dominant in the UK, is milder than previous strains.”

Simon Clarke, the chief secretary to the Treasury, was doing the morning interview round this morning. Without formally making an announcement, he come close to confirming the U-turn. He said the original policy was drawn up when Delta was the dominant variant, but that a rethink was justified because people are now catching the Omicron variant, which is “more transmissible but less dangerous”. Speaking to LBC, he said: “Obviously we will reflect that new reality in any decision that’s made, and that’s the right thing.”

The Royal College of Nursing has welcomed the expected move. In a statement, Patricia Marquis, its England director, said:

If these reports are correct, this climbdown by government is long overdue. Vaccination is hugely important but this was the wrong policy, especially as it added to the current pressure on NHS and care services.

My colleague Peter Walker has more on this story here.

Here is the agenda for the day.

11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.

Morning: Boris Johnson is doing a visit, where he is expected to record a pooled TV interview.

12pm: Mourners attend Jack Dromey’s funeral.

I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.

If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.

Alternatively, you can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com

Updated

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