A damning report into allegations of illegal gatherings at Downing Street has said 'failures of leadership and judgment' allowed a culture of drinking and partying to develop, piling further pressure onto United Kingdom Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Photo: HoC

Labour Leader Sir Keir R. Starmer has told Tory MPs to 'end this farce' by calling for a no-confidence vote in Boris Johnson. Photo: HoC

While much of the heat in the UK Parliament has died down, the report could lead to a flurry of letters of no confidence being submitted, bringing Boris Johnson closer to a vote in his premiership. Photo: UK Parliament

The update, which is drawn from an inquiry into so-called partygate by senior civil servant Sue Gray, confirms that she investigated a total of 16 events across 12 dates, including three not previously made public.

In a trimmed-back report, published Monday morning, January 31, 2022, she wrote: "There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of Number 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times. Some of these events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to developed in the way they did."

'Serious failure' to observe standards expected

Gray added: "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."

She also took aim at the fact staff could not raise concerns about "behaviours they witnessed at work", but felt unable to do so, and said too much pressure had been placed on the senior official who directly supports the prime minister.

Gray said some changes can be made immediately, without waiting for the police investigation to conclude.

'End this farce'- Labour Leader

A short while ago Sir Keir R. Starmer addressed Tory MPs, calling on them to "end this farce" by calling for a no-confidence vote in Johnson.

"The eyes of this country are upon them," he said. "They will be judged by the decisions they take now."

PM is man 'without shame'- Starmer

The Labour leader says the PM "is a man without shame" for not resigning over Sue Gray's initial findings.

He says the PM and everyone implicated in the scandal are "degrading themselves and their offices" and have frayed the "bond of trust between government and the public".

Findings are 'damning'

Starmer, who was the first MP to grill Johnson over Sue Gray’s initial findings, thank her for her professionalism and said it's not her fault for not delivering her full report.

"We now know that 12 cases have reached the threshold for a criminal investigation," he says.

The report discloses "damning " details, he said.

Not 'enough to say sorry'- Johnson

Johnson, who has been accused of lying to Parliament and the British people, has apologised "for the things we simply didn’t get right" and "the way this matter has been handled".

He said "it's no use saying this or that was within the rules” or that people were were working hard.

"This pandemic was hard for everyone," he adds. "We asked people across this country to make most extraordinary sacrifices."

The prime minister says he understands the anger people feel and "it isn’t enough to say sorry".

While much of the heat in the UK Parliament has died down, the report could lead to a flurry of letters of no confidence being submitted, bringing Johnson closer to a vote in his premiership.

Johnson has long insisted that he did nothing wrong, although his version of events has changed over time.