‘Murkier by minute!’ Sturgeon opens fire on Boris in furious attack as Gray report delayed

Boris Johnson: ‘Patience running out’ says Kuenssberg

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Describing the situation as “murkier by the minute”, Ms Sturgeon hit out at Mr Johnson for not “caring about damage to the reputations of others”, claiming he was mainly looking to “save his own skin”. She also said that the latest development has aroused “suspicion…that the process of inquiry is aiding Johnson”. This came after the Met announced it had asked for Ms Gray’s report to contain “minimal reference” to events the force is investigating to avoid prejudicing its inquiries.

It is not clear when the report, which was due to be sent to Downing Street today, will be published as a result of the development.

The BBC’s Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg described the situation as “extremely messy”, but added: “I’m told by several sources it’s not the only factor holding all of this up, there is a lot of wrangling inside Government and Cabinet Office over how and what is published”.

In a statement on Friday morning, the Met said: “For the events the Met is investigating, we asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report.

“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.”

On Tuesday, Commissioner Cressida Dick announced that the police have launched their own inquiry into the allegations, after being handed information by Ms Gray.

There have so far been media reports of 17 gatherings in Government buildings while Covid restrictions were in place but the force has not specified how many of the gatherings it has decided to investigate.

Hitting out at the latest development on Twitter, Ms Sturgeon said: “This gets murkier by the minute.

“Sue Gray and the Met are in difficult positions but the sequence of events and the situation arrived at now creates the suspicion – however unfairly – that the process of inquiry is aiding Johnson at the expense of public accountability.

“I doubt Johnson cares about damage to the reputations of others – individuals or institutions – as long as he saves his own skin.

“But these things matter.

“Rapid conclusion and full publication of the findings of inquiries surely now essential for public trust.”

Leader of the Opposition Sir Keir Starmer accused the Government of being “paralysed” by Mr Johnson’s efforts to “save his skin”.

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He also described it as “offensive” that ministers’ “sole focus is on cleaning up after themselves”.

Sir Keir has called for the report to be published in full.

This comes as the Prime Minister faces increasing calls to resign over the crisis.

Numerous prominent Tory MPs, including Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross and former Brexit Minister David Davis, have publicly called for the PM’s resignation.

Mr Johnson’s battle to save his own job reportedly includes a plan to sack senior Downing Street staff after the report is published.

It has been broadly accepted within Downing Street that at least one senior political appointee and a senior official must be seen to leave their posts over the affair in order to save the Prime Minister, two Whitehall sources told the Independent earlier in January.

Internally labelled “Operation Save Big Dog” – reportedly by the Prime Minister himself – the plan is said to involve the dismissal of Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, and Dan Rosenfield, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff.

It was Mr Reynolds that sent an email to more than 100 Number 10 employees telling them to “bring your own booze” to a party in Downing Street’s garden.

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