The Metropolitan Police has completed its investigation into lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street, paving the way for Sue Gray to publish her long-awaited Partygate report.
Operation Hillman found law-breaking at the very heart of government, and as a result more than 120 fines have been handed out to politicians and aides.
Scotland Yard has confirmed to Boris Johnson that he will face “no further action” or fines for attending other events investigated by the force – although it is thought that he was present at at least six.
The conclusion of the police investigation means senior civil servant Gray can now publish her report into Partygate events, which is thought to include scathing criticism of senior political and civil service figures, and is particularly critical of Johnson.
The publication of the report, which could come as early as next week, is likely to be another dangerous moment for Johnson’s premiership as Tory MPs assess whether its contents are damaging enough to submit letters of no confidence against the PM.
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Need a reminder of some of the other headlines over the past seven days?
- An 18-year-old killed ten people in a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York state.
- The UN warned that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could trigger “mass hunger and famine”.
- The US Congress held a public hearing on unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs) – UFOs – for the first time in half a century.
- Hezbollah lost control of Lebanon’s parliament after voters shunned the Islamist party and militant group in the first election since the country’s economic crisis.
- And the UK government put flesh on the bones of its plan to cull a fifth of the civil service, or 91,000 jobs, within three years.
