An Utter Disgrace

Partygate: Sue Gray's Devastating Report

- PIPPA CRERAR Political Editor, RACHEL WEARMOUTH Political Correspondent and MIKEY SMITH

THE shameless Prime Minister joked with MPs last night despite the shocking revelations in Sue Gray’s report on the Partygate scandal.

It gave details of events where officials drank so much they were sick, sang karaoke and partied until 4.20am on the morning of Prince Philip’s funeral.

They abused security staff who tried to break things up, and cleaners were left to scrub wine off walls and clear up vomit.

At the time indoor socialising was banned, even at work, and millions were unable to see friends and family.

On one evening two leaving parties that started indoors became so raucous in the garden that one guest broke a swing belonging to Boris Johnson’s son Wilf.

In one WhatsApp exchange with a special adviser, the then-senior adviser to the PM, Martin Reynolds, boasted “we seem to have got away with” a bring-yourown-booze garden party.

Yet despite telling MPs he had been “humbled” by the report, the Prime Minister claimed he had been “vindicated” and tried to brush the scandal aside.

He ordered the Chancellor to bring forward his cost of living support package in an attempt to move on from it all.

And he repeatedly failed to say how – or even whether – senior staff who organised and attended multiple illegal lockdown parties would be disciplined.

Civil service chief Simon Case looked likely to stay put despite resentment from junior civil servants made to carry the can.

The mood among No10 staff was said to be “raging apoplexy” as all had been tainted by the scandal even if they did no wrong.