Inside Politics: New hangover

Sue Gray’s Partygate report could be published as early as “tomorrow morning”. Heard that one before? Boris Johnson and The Met Police are under pressure this morning after a picture was published showing the PM raising a glass of fizz at a Downing Street gathering. Elsewhere, cabinet meets to discuss the economy and the cost of living crisis.

Our chief politics commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for today:

The cabinet meets this morning and we’re told it will be “focused on the economy”. The Commons sits from 11.30am with questions to Dominic Raab, the justice secretary. Then MPs will debate the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, which aims finally to end “vexatious” prosecutions of soldiers for things that happened before the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, will give evidence to the public administration and constitutional affairs committee about the Greensill scandal at 2pm, when he is bound to be also asked about civil service job cuts and lockdown law-breaking in Downing Street.

Partygate is back at the top of the news agenda this morning, with the picture of Boris Johnson raising a glass of fizz at a Downing Street gathering splashed across the front of most major papers and news websites. Does the image, first published by ITV News, spell fresh danger for the prime minister’s tenure in office? The photo will certainly put the story back in the consciousness of angry members of the public who may have lost loved ones during the pandemic or been unable to visit sick relatives.

It provides fresh evidence that Johnson was, at the very least (he will likely say it was a work event), drinking alcohol with other people not from his household – at a time when everyone else was ordered to stay at home. The reopening of those old wounds could spark a fresh flurry of emails from angry constituents to Tory MPs calling for action, putting momentum back into a stalled campaign by some backbenchers to trigger a confidence vote on Johnson’s premiership. There has not, however, at this stage, been a new wave of Tory calls for the PM to resign.

The photo also raises questions for the Metropolitan Police and the less-than-transparent handling of its investigation into Covid-law breaking in Downing Street and Whitehall. One of the biggest questions the Yard faces this morning is: how did Johnson not get fined for attending the 13 November 2021 gathering while at least one other person reportedly did? The force has so far said little about how it conducted its probe and yesterday referred reporters to previous statements.

Perhaps most dangerous for Johnson is that the privileges committee, which is investigating whether or not the PM misled the Commons, now has photographic evidence of him attending an event which he told MPs had not taken place, or if it did, “the rules were followed at all times.” Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former chief aide, says there are more images to come which will prove the PM lied to parliament.

open image in gallery

The cost of living crisis will be very much on the minds of ministers as they meet for cabinet this morning. While calls for a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas giants have grown louder in recent days, some MPs – senior Tories among them – and anti-poverty campaigners have long called for the government to restore the £20-per-week uplift to universal credit as a measure to tackle rising bills.

But Simon Clarke, the chief secretary to the Treasury, ruled out such a move, saying “that is not going to return”. The minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was made “explicitly clear” last autumn, when the government cut the support, it was a “temporary response” to the Covid pandemic.

Johnson’s spokesperson later told reporters that nothing had been ruled out as ministers draw up a package of measures to help with the cost of living. The spokesperson said: “My understanding is that we are keeping all our options open.”

There are more stories this morning about tensions between No 10 and No 11 Downing Street on how to respond to the cost of living squeeze. According to The Guardian, cabinet ministers are frustrated that a “mano a mano” standoff between the PM and Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is holding up measures to help people through the cost of living crisis.

open image in gallery

“No, but I’m sure that, whatever happened, the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times.”

PM in the Commons on 1 December 2021 when asked if a party took place on 13 November the previous year.

“Downing Street thinks it may well get the report from Sue Gray as soon as tomorrow morning, with a statement in the Commons from the prime minister at lunchtime.”

BBC politics editor Chris Mason says Gray report could come as soon as tomorrow.

Sign up here to receive this free briefing in your email inbox each weekday