Carrie Johnson dragged into Sue Gray's inquiry for 'inviting pals during lockdown'

Whitehall enforce Sue Gray is expected to publish her findings on Downing Street parties early this week. It is not yet known if she will publish the report in full or summarise findings

Carrie Johnson could be dragged into the Downing Street party scandal as it emerges she invited two of her close friends into the flat she shares with the Prime Minister.

Reports claim Mrs Johnson allowed her friends to visit the Number 11 flat on a number of occasions for “work purposes.

Mrs Johnson invited Henry Newman, now a senior aide in Number 10 and Josh Grimstone, who works for Michael Gove, the newspaper claims.

Whitehall enforcer Sue Gray is understood to be aware of the claims but cannot understand why they needed access as they weren’t working in Number 10 at the time, The Sunday Times reports.

A Whitehall source told the Sunday Times: “The investigators are concerned about the flat.

“Why are two spads [special advisers] from the Cabinet Office going there frequently to have work meetings with the prime minister without any officials present? It doesn’t pass the sniff test.”

Last month a photo emerged of a cheese and wine gathering in May 2020 with Mrs Johnson sitting next to the PM and in front of Dominic Cummings and Martin Reynolds.

Mr Johnson said in an interview on December 20 2021: “Those were meetings of people at work. This is where I live and it’s where I work. Those were meetings of people at work, talking about work.”

Tory MPs eagerly wait for the results of Ms Gray’s report as many say the PM must go if he has lied to the Commons.

Steve Baker, the Conservative MP who plotted to oust Theresa May as prime minister, said it could be “checkmate” for Mr Johnson.

The seasoned rebel ringleader and Brexiteer said the allegations of rule-breaking parties in Downing Street during coronavirus restrictions are “appalling”.

He told the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast the Prime Minister “must go” if it is found he broke the law or lied to Parliament, but said “we are all waiting” for senior civil servant Sue Gray to publish her inquiry’s findings.

Mr Johnson has apologised for “misjudgments” but insisted he thought a “bring your own booze” gathering in the No 10 garden during the first lockdown would be a “work event”.

Despite this Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said Tory MPs are rallying behind the Prime Minister after weeks of chaos in the party.

Mr Raab told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme: “There is a rallying of support behind the Prime Minister, you could feel it in the chamber.

“I think the reason is the booster campaign has been so successful, we are coming out of the lockdown measures, we are opening up the economy. These are all because of the calls the Prime Minister has made.”

Mr Raab refused to be drawn of whether Ms Gray’s findings will be published in full.

He did insist there would be “full transparency”. “The process for it will be for the Prime Minister to decide,” he said.