Following today’s ‘update’ on Sue Gray’s investigation into parties held in Downing Street during lockdown, I know many constituents remain hugely concerned about the leadership and conduct of the Prime Minister. I spoke to BBC Politics North about my concerns at the weekend:

Families have missed saying goodbye to loved ones, weddings were cancelled, businesses were ruined, and many people struggled with their mental health. Yet, we found out that while the Government was asking the country to accept such far-reaching restrictions on their lives, the Prime Minister sanctioned, and even attended, parties which broke the same rules. While constituents are forced to relive some of their darkest moments of the past two years, the Prime Minister still refuses to be straight with them.

Sue Gray’s update makes clear that there were serious failings across Downing Street at multiple points, including excessive consumption of alcohol, an atmosphere where staff were unable to share their concerns, and behaviour that cannot be justified. This is a culture that was created and endorsed by the Prime Minister himself.

The Prime Minister repeatedly reassured Parliament and the public that no breaches of the rules took place. Yet 12 of the 16 gatherings investigated by Sue Gray are now being pursued by the Metropolitan Police and were not part of her update. This includes one in the Prime Minister’s flat, one he attended in the garden of Downing Street, and another to celebrate his birthday. This was rule-breaking at the highest level of Government, and an outrageous insult to everyone who did the right thing for the past two years.

The Prime Minister may now say he ‘gets it’ and will ‘fix it’. But this Prime Minister has a disgraceful record of acting as though standards in public life just don’t apply to him and his friends.

He tried to change the rules to save the former Conservative MP Owen Paterson, who was found to have broken Parliament’s rules on lobbying. When the Home Secretary was accused of bullying civil servants, the Prime Minister rejected the findings of his independent adviser on standards, which resulted in his resignation. He illegally shut down Parliament and failed even to apologise. This is a Prime Minister who degrades the office of Prime Minister every day he remains in post. 

Sue Gray has made clear that she wants her full report published. I absolutely agree – the country needs answers and to see the full details with no redactions. They deserve to know how those who were making the rules behaved when they underwent so much. But in the meantime, we don’t need this report to know that it is finally time for the Prime Minister to do the only decent thing left, and resign.