Sue Gray, the senior civil servant is asked to carry out the investigations against the prime minister in connection with the Downing Street party. Meanwhile, the prime minister has not made any response regarding the incident.
The senior civil servant of the United Kingdom, Sue Gray is the person tasked with investigating the alleged breaches of the lockdown restrictions at Downing Street amidst the omicron threats.
In May 2020, taking advantage of the lovely weather, the prime minister joined a few dozen Downing street staff for a social gathering with booze in the number 10 garden. The rest of the country was in lockdown when the party was happening.
It invited people’s attention when an email regarding the same was leaked. As revealed by ITV, the invitation was from a No10 staff member close to Boris Johnson asking staff to a bring-your-own-bottle garden gathering.
The email was sent by Martin Reynolds, Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister since 2019, and was sent to around 100 staff on May 20, 2020.
It is believed that approximately 40 people, including PM Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, attended the party. The PM has not denied his attendance so far.
Even though pressure goes on his resignation he has not made any comments about the event so far. The metropolitan police revealed that it has now made contact with the government over the latest claims of a party on May 20th. the whole list of alleged social gatherings includes four alleged departmental events and a total of seven in downing street
According to reports, Sue Gray will have to interview Boris Johnson as part of her investigation.
Who is Sue Gray and what is she investigating?
Sue Gray is one of the senior-most civil servants in the UK and is known for her emphasis on secrecy in her line of work.
Maya Angelou becomes First Black Woman to appear on a US Quarter
The BBC wrote in 2015: “Even when a document trail exists, Ms. Gray is enthusiastic about keeping it a secret. We know that she advised special advisers on how to destroy email (by “double-deletion”) to thwart FOIA [Freedom Of Information Act] requesters.
She is currently holding the position of second permanent secretary in the cabinet office. She has been in the service since the 1970s and is known as a civil servant with a lot of power.
Labour MP Paul Flynn has previously referred to Gray as “deputy God” in Parliament.
According to The Guardian, the former Tory MP and Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin reportedly said of Gray: “It took me precisely two years before I realized who it is that runs Britain. “Our great United Kingdom is entirely run by a lady called Sue Gray, the head of ethics or something in the Cabinet Office.”
She had held the offices of director-general of propriety and ethics and permanent secretary to the department of finance. She is well known for her calculated moves, intelligent decisions, and bold attitude.
Along with the downstreet party incident sue grey will be investigating four events in 2020 which the PM is thought to have attended:
The first one is the May 15 Garden party at No10. The prime minister and his wife were pictured in the garden with wine, cheese, and more than a dozen other people. No10 said this was an outdoor work meeting.
The second one is on May 20 at the Second garden party at No10. It is said to have been attended by more than 100 staff.
The third one is on November 27. Sources revealed that more than 40 to 50 people crammed into a room in No10 to see off top aide Cleo Watson.
The fourth one was held on December 15: Boris Johnson was pictured on screen, sitting beneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher, as he read out questions.
