‘I really don’t know’: MP Thérèse Coffey unaware of when Sue Gray report will be published
Rebel Tory MPs are expressing concerns that delays to Sue Gray’s partygate report may give the prime minister time to spin the findings in his favour.
One told The Independent: “If they have it in their hands for three days before Boris has to make his statement to the House, there’s no doubt it’ll leak like a sieve and there’ll be an effort to control the narrative and suggest he’s in the clear.”
It comes as No 10 this afternoon announced they still haven’t been sent the hotly anticipated report.
“It remains our intention to publish swiftly as possible once we receive the findings, and as you know the PM has committed to providing a statement in the House to respond to those findings,” the prime minister’s spokesperson said.
“It’s always been the case we will aim to publish as swiftly as possible, we would obviously need to speak to the Speaker.
“We’re delving into hypotheticals… our intention would be to publish as quickly as possible.”
‘There wasn’t actually a cake’
Boris Johnson has insisted he could not have been “ambushed with cake” at a birthday party in Downing Street, reportedly telling allies there was no cake present at the time.
Earlier this week, it was reported Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie organised a surprise gathering for his birthday on 19 June with more than 30 people there.
Tory MP Colin Burns went on to defended Mr Johnson, telling Channel 4 News in comments he was later ridiculed for on social media: “As far as I can see, he was in a sense, ambushed with a cake. It was not a premeditated, organised party.”
But in the latest development in the Partygate saga, the close ally to the prime minister has now suggested there was not a cake after all.
Mr Burns told The Telegraph’s Chopper’s Politics podcast: “I’m told under some authority indeed from him that there actually wasn’t a cake.”
Katy Clifton27 January 2022 21:49
‘There wasn’t actually a cake’
Boris Johnson has insisted he could not have been “ambushed with cake” at a birthday party in Downing Street, reportedly telling allies there was no cake present at the time.
Earlier this week, it was reported Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie organised a surprise gathering for his birthday on 19 June with more than 30 people there.
Tory MP Colin Burns went on to defended Mr Johnson, telling Channel 4 News in comments he was later ridiculed for on social media: “As far as I can see, he was in a sense, ambushed with a cake. It was not a premeditated, organised party.”
But in the latest development in the Partygate saga, the close ally to the prime minister has now suggested there was not a cake after all.
Mr Burns told The Telegraph’s Chopper’s Politics podcast: “I’m told under some…
Read More: Boris Johnson latest news: Sue Gray report delay may give PM time to spin