Met Police deny delaying Sue Gray report into Downing Street parties

• Why the Met Police changed its mind on redacting the Sue Gray report

• Watch: 'We were stupefied': Those at Thatcher's side as the Tories staged a coup

• Work from home tax loophole cost Treasury £500 million

• Johnson urged to sack more No 10 staff over ‘partygate’

• Fraser Nelson: Civil war threatens to leave Tory party in ruins

The Metropolitan Police have hit back at claims that they have delayed the publication of Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties.

On Friday morning, in a bombshell development, it asked that the civil servant include only “minimal reference” to events that the force is investigating.

But Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met's Central Specialist Crime Command, said they had not delayed Sue Gray's report and confirmed the timing of its release was a matter for the Cabinet Office.

She said detectives from the Special Enquiry Team, which is leading the investigation, were now examining the material handed over by the Cabinet Office "in detail to establish whether individuals attending the events in question may have breached the regulations. They will do so without fear or favour following our normal processes".

She added: "In order to protect the integrity of the police investigation, as is appropriate in any case, and to be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it, the Met has asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report to the relevant events.

"This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.

"We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team."

It comes as Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, claimed that “a stitch up between the Met leadership and Number 10" is happening "right in front of our eyes".

The Prime Minister’s spokesperson today again reiterated the claim that the investigation by Sue Gray, a civil servant, into the alleged rule-breaking of civil servants and politicians, was “independent”.

Asked if it was correct that the announcement from the Met had no involvement from No 10, a spokesman said: "I believe that's correct."

​​Follow the latest updates below.

08:07 PM

Downing Street declines to comment further

Downing Street declined to comment further after the Met Police said it had not delayed publication of the Sue Gray inquiry.

Earlier on Friday the Prime Minister’s spokesperson reiterated the claim that the investigation by Sue Gray into the alleged rule-breaking of civil servants and politicians, was “independent”.

Asked if it was correct that the Met's announcement had no involvement from No 10, a spokesman said: "I believe that's correct."

07:28 PM

Met Police statement in full

Commander Catherine Roper, who leads the Met’s Central Specialist Crime Command, said: “My officers will now examine this material in detail to establish whether individuals attending the events in question may have breached the regulations. They will do so without fear or favour following our normal processes.

“In order to protect the integrity of the police investigation, as is appropriate in any case, and to be as fair as possible to those who are subject to it, the Met has asked for minimal reference to be made in the Cabinet Office report to the relevant events. This will only be necessary until these matters are concluded, and is to give detectives the most reliable picture of what happened at these events. We intend to complete our investigations promptly, fairly and proportionately.

“We have not delayed this report and the timing of its release is a matter for the Cabinet Office inquiry team.

“The offences under investigation, where proven, would normally result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice; accordingly our investigative actions will be proportionate to the nature of these offences.

“Individuals who are identified as having potentially breached these regulations will normally be contacted in writing, and invited to explain their actions including whether they feel they had a reasonable excuse.

“Following this process, and where there is sufficient evidence that individuals have breached the regulations without reasonable excuse, officers will decide if enforcement action is appropriate. If the decision is to take enforcement action then a report will be sent to the ACRO Criminal Records Office which will issue the fixed penalty notice. Recipients can pay the fixed penalty and the matter will be considered closed.

“Should a recipient dispute the fixed penalty notice then the case will be referred back to the Met where officers will consider whether to pursue the matter in a magistrates’ court.

“As the Commissioner said, we will not be giving a running commentary but we will continue to update when significant progress is made in the investigative process.”

07:18 PM

Breaking: Met Police release statement

The Metropolitan Police has received the material it requested from the Cabinet Office to support its investigation into possible breaches of Covid regulations and guidance in Downing Street and Whitehall, the force has said.

It added it had not delayed the publication of the Sue Gray inquiry.

04:11 PM

That's all for today

The Sue Gray report looks unlikely to be published this week, following a bombshell this morning that the Metropolitan Police have asked that it include only “minimal reference” to events that the force is investigating.

In effect this means that the civil servant’s report may not contain references to breaches of covid guidelines or these may be limited.

The news was treated with suspicion across the political divide, with Tory MPs fearing this would result in the report omitting the events of “greatest concern”, while the leader of the Lib Dems, Ed Davey, said it looked like a stitch-up.

One suggestion by Lord Macdonald, a former director of public prosecutions, was that the Met may end up investigating alleged offences that are worse than fixed penalty notices, such as the deletion of emails.

It seems that this may now well be the case, according to the PA news agency.

03:53 PM

Met looking at covid breaches that could be worse than FPNs

Metropolitan Police officers are currently investigating possible breaches of Covid rules that could warrant fixed penalty notices rather than more serious offences, the PA news agency understands.

03:37 PM

National insurance rise is a 'dificult choice'

Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Chancellor faced a "difficult choice" with the decision to raise National Insurance.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who was previously reported to have urged Rishi Sunak to ditch the increase, told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast: "It is a difficult choice for the Chancellor, but we do need to raise funds to pay for the extra nine million scans to get rid of the backlog in the NHS and all those sorts of things."

He added: "I think governments have to have a set purpose and a clear course, and we can't be buffeted by every wind.

"So, I think it is important to recognise the need to raise the money that we are determined to spend."

03:19 PM

Senior Tory accuses Met of usurping its position

"The Metropolitan Police is usurping its position by seeking to interfere in the affairs of state," Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope said.

Speaking in the Commons, the MP for Christchurch said: "I thought that it was this House which held the Government to account for its policies, and not the Metropolitan Police."

He added: "There is no reason for the Metropolitan Police to be able to require Sue Gray not to issue her report in an unamended way for the benefit of the Prime Minister who ordered that report, and for this House, which is eager to see that report.

"It seems that the Metropolitan Police is usurping its position by seeking to interfere in the affairs of state without there being any criminal offences or any grounds for them carrying out such interference."

03:01 PM

Labour staff accept pay rise

Labour Party staff have voted to accept a 2 per cent pay offer for this year, their union has announced.

Members of the GMB union voted narrowly in favour of the deal, which covers employees in the party's London headquarters and regional offices.

A GMB spokesman said: "Our ballot closed today and GMB members reluctantly voted to accept the offer."

02:45 PM

Watch: 'We were stupefied': Those at Thatcher's side as the Tories staged a coup

Philip Johnston, The Telegraph’s assistant editor, was in Paris with Margaret Thatcher while a vote on Michael Heseltine’s challenge for the Conservative leadership took place. Just four votes shy of her needed majority, Thatcher vowed to fight on, but would resign before the end of the year.

“If the Conservative party can get rid of a prime minister who had won three general elections, was regarded as the world’s premier statesman, who played a leading role ending the Cold War... they can get rid of anybody."

In this video, Philip takes us through the final days of the Thatcher era, and the events that culminated in the downfall of the Iron Lady.

02:38 PM

Police may be investigating more serious crimes than lockdown breaches, suggests Lord Macdonald

The former director of public prosecutions suggested that we don't know whether Sue Gray has uncovered "more complex behaviour" such as the "co-ordinated deletion of emails"

"Only police know what it is that is really at play here," he said.

"It is really to say that if we are simply talking about lockdown breaches and fixed penalty notices, this move by the police this morning seems to be disproportionate."

The crossbench peer said that what was not known was whether Ms Gray had uncovered "slightly more complex behaviour that the police believes needs more sense of investigation", offering the example of "the co-ordinated deletion of emails or text messages" that had possibly "raised the stakes and brought forward the consideration of more serious offending into play".

02:35 PM

Met decision was 'disproportionate' says former head of the CPS

A former director of public prosecutions suggested the Metropolitan Police stance, that the report by senior civil servant Sue Gray into possible No 10 lockdown breaches should omit details that "could avoid any prejudice", was "disproportionate".

Lord Macdonald told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "The risk of the police intervention this morning is that this leaves things hanging in the air for weeks and months, and that seems obviously not to be in the public interest.

"If we're talking about fixed penalty notices - like parking tickets, essentially - if we're talking about that kind of resolution, then to take the rather grave step to delay a report that is going to shed public light on the subject matter of what may be a major public scandal, I think that is undesirable and I think it may be a misjudgment.

02:21 PM

Labour calls for Boris Johnson to resign, again

Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: "I want to see the Gray report in full.

"Our country faces huge challenges and it's offensive that the Government's sole focus is on cleaning up after themselves.

"Britain deserves better. The Prime Minister is unfit for office and must resign."

02:06 PM

'A Whitehall farce written in Scotland Yard'

Veteran Tory MP Sir Roger Gale, one of the Conservatives to call for Mr Johnson's resignation, has criticised Scotland Yard for intervening in the publication of Sue Gray's report into partying in No 10.

He told BBC Radio 4's The World At One programme: "This has all the hallmarks of a Whitehall farce written in Scotland Yard. A while back the Met Police were saying they weren't going to investigate, then they said they would investigate and the sigh of relief from Downing Street could be heard in the Palace of Westminster as the can was kicked down the road.

"Then they said it would be OK for Sue Gray to publish her report and now this morning they're saying it's not OK, or it is OK but she can't publish anything that anybody is likely to be interested in - which is ridiculous.

"Unless there is a legal barrier to Sue Gray publishing her report then I believe that it should be published now and in full."

01:51 PM

Met's change of heart is 'murky', says Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, tweeted: "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."

She added: "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."

01:35 PM

David Cameron looks back on Bloody Sunday

Former prime minister David Cameron has spoken of the huge responsibility he felt when delivering his apology for Bloody Sunday to the House of Commons.

Mr Cameron said he decided that his remarks, delivered in 2010, needed to be "absolutely direct and clear".

This weekend sees the 50th anniversary of one of the darkest days in Northern Ireland's history, when British soldiers shot dead 13 civil rights protestors in the Bogside area of Londonderry.

Speaking about the events of that day, he told the BBC Radio Ulster Talkback programme that the Saville report was one the "most shocking things" he had ever read.

He said: "What I was feeling was what a huge responsibility it was to try and get this right, because the families affected, people in Northern Ireland had been waiting for this for so long.

01:13 PM

Sign language should be treated equal so deaf people can be treated equal, says MP

Making British Sign Language (BSL) a legally recognised language will send a clear message to every deaf person that "their language is equal and should be treated as equal", a Labour MP has said.

Introducing her Private Member's Bill, Labour MP Rosie Cooper made a powerful and emotional speech, recalling what it was like growing up as the hearing child of deaf parents.

She said: "I have got to tell you, as a child of deaf parents, hearing children of deaf parents grow up fast. They have to shoulder the responsibility well beyond their years, and that's not fair. We do it willingly, I never knew any different but we have the chance to help with that, and that it's not fair."

The MP for West Lancashire added: "Growing up I saw first-hand the difficulties deaf people face every day. The huge challenges my parents had to overcome, to be heard, to be listened to. More importantly, to be understood. Now, I'm told I booked my first family holiday when I was four years old. I don't remember but I did."

12:46 PM

No 10 says public will support the aims of the national insurance rise

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "Of course we understand that people may not want to pay more in tax.

"But we've set out the rationale for this and I think it's clear that one of the public's number one priorities is to support the NHS and to help the NHS."

Asked if the rise was therefore coming in "no ifs, no buts", the spokesman said: "Yeah."

He added: "I think the Chancellor set out at the time when we announced this policy why it is the right and best way to raise this money.

"Again, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor both said at that point, obviously, they would like to lower taxes in the future also, but it is important that we do what we need to do now to tackle the backlog that's grown in the NHS."

12:30 PM

Boris is not 'wobbly', insists spokesman

Downing Street insisted the rise in national insurance contributions in April would still go ahead.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson denied the Prime Minister was getting "wobbly" about the increase.

He said: "The Prime Minister and Chancellor are fully committed to introducing the health and social care levy in April.

"We've spoken before about why we are doing that, in order to give the NHS the funds it needs to tackle the backlog that has built up, as well as tackling the long-term issue of social care. So as I say, we are committed to introducing that in April."

The spokesman said: "I would point back to the fact that this is something that we've legislated for to come in April, and again, we've been clear with the rationale for it."

Asked if he could guarantee no U-turns on the policy, he added: "As I say, we are introducing it in April."

12:24 PM

'Not aware' of conversations between Met and No 10 over scaled back report

Downing Street said it was not the case that No 10 had asked Sue Gray's team to go back to the Metropolitan Police to ensure her report did not interfere with police investigations.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "No, you'll be aware that the terms of reference clearly set out that the Cabinet Office would keep in contact with the police and again it's an independent investigation. we haven't been privy to the details of that investigation or any of its content.

"So that would be a matter for the investigations team and the Met."

Asked if No 10 had any conversations with the Met about the Gray report and what could be published, the spokesman said: "Not that I'm aware of, no."

Asked if it was correct that the announcement from the Met - that they asked for the Gray report to make minimal reference to alleged events they are investigating - had no involvement from No 10, the spokesman said: "I believe that's correct."

12:09 PM

Cakegate - Number 10 neither confirms nor denies the existence of sponge

Despite Boris Johnson's previous comments that he is both pro-having and pro-eating cake, Downing Street has said it cannot comment on whether there was cake at his birthday celebrations until investigations have concluded.

Tory MP Conor Burns previously said the Prime Minister had been "ambushed with a cake" at a surprise birthday bash in the Cabinet room on June 19 2020 when social events indoors were banned.

But Mr Burns later told the Telegraph's political podcast: "I'm told under some authority, indeed from him, that there actually wasn't a cake."

However an article from The Times from June 20, 2020, has since resurfaced where it was reported the group "tucked into a Union Jack cake" at the gathering.

A spokesman for Boris Johnson said: "So you will know what we said earlier this week on the matter, that small number of staff briefly came into the Cabinet room on the PM's birthday.

"Beyond that I can't comment further ahead of any conclusion of the investigation."

He said: "As you're aware there's an independent investigation ongoing by Sue Gray in the Cabinet Office. I can only point you back to what we said earlier this week."

12:05 PM

Labour calls Boris Johnson a 'danger to the Union'

Sir Keir Starmer said the Conservatives have "disdain" for Scotland and that the longer Boris Johnson is Prime Minister "the more danger there is to the Union".

Speaking on a visit to Glasgow, the Labour leader said: "It goes to a deeper point, I think, which is the demonstration that you can't rely on the Conservatives to hold together the Union, only the Labour Party can support and hold together the Union.

"I think the longer Boris Johnson is in office, the more danger there is to the Union."

11:51 AM

Why did the Met Police suddenly changed its mind on redacting the Sue Gray report?

There is no jury to be influenced by Gray’s conclusions, so why has the Metropolitan Police decided that references to parties need to be kept 'minimal'?

Todays revelations show that Gray’s inquiry can be published but without any mention of any events that police are investigating.

In other words, if an event did not break the rules, the Met is happy for the public to read about it.

But if the gathering was potentially law-breaking then it will be cut from anything placed in the public domain until criminal investigations are complete.

The question now is why the extraordinary volte face; why the about turn that conveniently kicks into the long grass the tricky matter, for example, of a birthday party for the prime minister that was allegedly organised by his young wife?

You can read the full analysis here from Robert Mendick, our Cheif Reporter, and Martin Evans, our Crime Correspondent.

11:46 AM

Top civil servant says he gave incorrect evidence over animal airlift

The Foreign Office's top mandarin has apologised for misleading MPs in the row over the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan.

Sir Philip Barton, the Foreign Office's permanent under-secretary, had told the Foreign Affairs Committee that Nigel Casey, the Prime Minister's special representative for Afghanistan, had not received any correspondence referring to any intervention by Boris Johnson in the evacuation from the country of animals from the Nowzad charity.

But in emails revealed by Newsnight, Mr Casey was seen to have asked an official "to seek clear guidance for us from No 10 asap on what they would like us to do" in the case.

Sir Philip has now written to the committee's chairman, Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, to apologise.

He said he had given "inadvertently inaccurate answers".

11:28 AM

Inflation as bad as John Major years, says Keir Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it would be "the wrong thing to do" to raise national insurance in April.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Forge Market in Glasgow, Sir Keir said: "The Prime Minister needs to act on this. We've got a very serious issue here with everybody facing prices going up - whether that's fuel, energy bills at home, inflation going up to something like 6%, the worst it's been since the John Major years - and at that very moment, Boris Johnson and his Government want to impose a tax hike on people in April.

"It was the wrong thing to do and we argued strongly it shouldn't have happened. So I'm glad if anybody is reconsidering this, but it should never have happened in the first place."

11:17 AM

Nadine vs The North

Nadine Dorries has been one of Boris Johnson's most vocal cheerleaders, particularly on social medica, in recent weeks.

Her most recent intervention, at the expense of 2019 intake Tory MPs (dubbed the Pork Pie plotters) has somewhat alienated at least one MP.

They tell Tory Diver, our Political Correspondent: "The best thing Nadine Dorries could do now is to log off Twitter and not go back onto it.

"She has completely undermined the PM."

It comes after 2019 intake MPs took offence at some of the more vibrantly-worded comments by cabinet ministers, whips and MPs which insinuated they should keep quiet.

11:04 AM

Exam regulator says that changes to tests will not make them easier

Changes to 2022 GCSE and A-level exams will not make them easier for more able pupils, the head of the Government exam regulator has said.

Because of the disruption caused to pupils' learning by the pandemic, pupils in England will be offered a choice of topics in some GCSE exams, such as English literature, history, ancient history and geography, as well as exam aids next summer.

For subjects where a choice of topics is not provided, advance notice on the focus of exam content will be given in February to help with revision.

It comes after Gavin Williamson presided over 2020's exam fiasco which saw no exams, meaning that teachers could submit their predictions of what grade they feel their students should get.

10:57 AM

Events left out at request of Met will be ones of 'greatest concern'

Aaron Bell, a conservative MP said that those events which the Met requests only minimal reference are made to will "almost by definition, these will be the events of greatest concern."

10:37 AM

Tax loophole set to be closed

Amid calls for the proposed National Insurance rise to be delayed or shelved, a work from home tax loophole is set to be closed after officials warned Rishi Sunak that it had cost the Treasury nearly £500 million during the pandemic.

Bill Gardner, and Gordon Rayner, our Associate Editor, have the story:

You can read their full story here.

10:19 AM

Bereaved families respond to Met intervention

Fran Hall, spokesperson for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice campaign group, reacted to the Met's decision to request their investigations are kept separate from the Sue Gray report.

"Tragically, it seems here that the Metropolitan Police have broken the trust of the public by first refusing to investigate [...], and now demanding any other investigations hide the most serious [allegations] happening at Downing Street," she said

09:58 AM

Question of integrity, honesty and decency, Labour says

Speaking as the nation awaits Sue Gray's report, Rachel Reeves, the Shadow chancellor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think there is a question of integrity, honesty and decency.

"You have got the Prime Minister on the one hand, who is in this sort of lies and scandal and parties, and then you have got Keir Starmer on the other hand, who is a man of integrity and honesty, who you can put your trust in."

Ms Reeves said "the Sue Gray report needs to be published in full as the Prime Minister has said it will be", but that there should be a focus on tackling major issues facing the country.

"What really frustrates me (is) we have these massive challenges as a country - the cost-of-living crisis, how to properly fund our National Health Service, how to get to net zero - all these big challenges, and where is the Government?"

09:39 AM

Labour demands help from Scottish and UK governments over cost of living

Labour leaders have demanded both of Scotland's governments step in to help people make ends meet ahead of an expected surge in energy prices.

The party's UK leader Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish chief Anas Sarwar are calling on the SNP in Holyrood and the Conservatives in Westminster to use powers available to them to help ease the burden as high inflation chips away at people's wages and sees prices climb.

Sir Keir, speaking ahead of a visit to Glasgow on Friday, said he wants to see VAT on energy bills scrapped and "targeted action to save most households around £200 a year, or up to £600 for those who need it most".

He added: "Boris Johnson and the Tories are scrambling to save their own skins, hopelessly distracted by a pending criminal investigation into their behaviour at Downing Street.

"Meanwhile, people across Scotland are worried about their bills, rising prices and how much it will cost to fill up the car next week."

09:21 AM

Theresa May

The former Prime Minister has intervened over 'partygate', saying that she expects those involved in 'partygate' to follow "full accountability" if the report by Sue Gray founds wrongdoing.

The Maidenhead Advertiser, the weekly newspaper in the former PM's constituency, reported her comments:

09:11 AM

NI rise is 'wrong tax at the wrong time' says Labour

The proposed increase in National Insurance is "the wrong tax at the wrong time", shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said.

Asked whether credibility means you have to raise tax if you want to spend, she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think you have to explain where every pound is going to come from, and that is why I think it is right to ask those who can pay a bit more and to ask those with the broadest shoulders to make the contribution.

"This is the wrong tax at the wrong time. It is a tax on ordinary working people and on jobs.

"There are people who could afford to pay a bit more tax. I think that is the right approach."

09:02 AM

Who is making the decisions in government?

Labour MP Chris Bryant, who sits on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, told BBC Breakfast: "If you go back to the evacuation last year, lots of MPs had hundreds of names of people they were desperate to get out of Afghanistan - people who had worked with the armed forces, people who were constituents, or relatives of British citizens.

"I had about 134 names. We just wanted to make sure as many people as possible could get out and those who were most at risk got out.

"That's why we've been asking all these questions about who decided that Pen Farthing and Nowzad should be allowed to leave and take the final slot.

"I have no criticism of Nowzad, I just want to know who made the decision, and this matters now because we need to know how Downing Street and the UK works.

"Who makes the decisions? Is there such a chaos in Government that no-one knows, because if that's true the danger is we make bad decisions."

08:47 AM

Government yet again insists that Sue Gray report is done 'independently'

Ministers and MPs have previously said that the report into alleged lockdown breaches by civil servants and members of Government, conducted by a civil servant in the Cabinet Office, is "independent".

Today Chris Philp, the technology minister said that Sue Gray's report was being done "independently", and as such he does not know what it will contain.

He told LBC: "You will have to ask Sue Gray that, because the timing of the report is up to her.

"You will have seen, as I have seen, press speculation is it is because she's discussing with lawyers and police exactly what can and can't go in it.

"But the bottom line is, I don't know because it is a report she's compiling independently and I have no visibility of what may or may not be in it, or what her thought process is."

08:41 AM

Watch: Minister rows back on suggestions NI will be dropped

The front pages this morning signalled that Boris Johnson may end up succumbing to pressure from the right of the party to drop the proposed rise to National Insurance.

Chris Philp, on today's morning round tried to shut down suggestions from those within Government and in the Conservative Party, that the Prime Minister is "wobbling".

08:25 AM

Senior Conservative says tax businesses, not working people

Robert Halfon, chair of the education select committee, told the Today Programme: “We definitely need the money for the NHS and social care, it can’t be just wished away.

"The public have an umbilical cord with the NHS. If we delay it, we just delay a problem as we’re going to have a cost of living crisis next year because of everything that’s happened with Covid and energy bills.

“We’ve done windfall tax before and we could do it on major industries. Oil companies for example, who are making huge profits at the moment.

“We have to make a choice - do we tax millions of low income workers or do we tax big business. As I say we should look at capital gains tax as well and introduce a cost of living package in the round.

“To me, 'conservative' means helping low income workers and those who are just about managing. The problem is, they bare the brunt of this national insurance tax and it would be much fairer to tax big business with windfall tax.

08:13 AM

Sue Gray report not recieved by No. 10 yet

Mr Philp told Sky: "I spoke to someone in Downing Street about half an hour ago and they certainly didn’t indicate it had been received - I don’t know a lot more than you do but I’ve certainly got no information as of right now that it’s been received."

07:57 AM

Boris Johnson is a beacon of moral integrity, minister says

When asked if he still stands by his comments for which he was roundly mocked earlier this month, Mr Philp said: "Yes I do. He is someone who is working night and day and has been since he became Prime Minister two and a half years ago - he’s delivered Brexit, which obviously he thought was difficult or impossible; he delivered a landslide General Election victory; we’ve since been hit by Covid and he and his team having been working night and day to get us through this pandemic, as a result of which we’ve had a European-leading booster programme.

“None of that is an accident, it’s come as the result of an enormous amount of hard work that’s been led by the Prime Minister. I think the results speak louder than words.

07:56 AM

Good morning

Today in politics begins with another day waiting for the Sue Gray report to be published, amid increased pressure for the Prime Minister to drop his commitment to a rise in National Insurance.

• Chris Philp, the digital minister, is on the morning round where he has denied any idea that the NI rise is now off the table.

• Reports last night suggested that the Boris Johnson is "wobbling" over the proposed tax increase, with sources briefing that he'd do "anything to survive".

• Labour party staff are balloting on strike action, with a result expected today.

• Wales has moved to level zero meaning nightclub restricitons have ended.

In Westminster:

• No select committees or Westminster Hall debates today.

• Private members bills expected to be debated on the seizure of cultural objects from museums and compulsory insurance for motor vehicles.