'Boris didn't get away with Partygate': Raab says it's up to Sue Gray to name and shame

20 May 2022, 08:56 | Updated: 20 May 2022, 09:03

The Deputy Prime Minister has said Boris Johnson "did not get away with Partygate" and have shown "transparency" to the public throughout police investigations.

Speaking on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Dominic Raab said it would be Sue Gray's "prerogative" to "name and shame" politicians who were issued with fixed penalty notices and publish pictures submitted to the report.

When asked whether the Prime Minister had "gotten away with Partygate" the justice secretary said: "Look I don't think anyone would say that after the recent months of the commentary, accountability and transparency.

"I think what I would say is that it is welcome that the police investigation has concluded, that's important for transparency, it's important for accountability.

"In terms of what happened at Number 10, the PM of course, based on the interim Sue Gray report, has already apologised.

"He recognised that things weren't right and he overhauled the Number 10 arrangement.

"We of course await the final Sue Gray report, that will be published as soon as possible when we receive it and the PM will go to the House of Commons.

"In the meantime we are getting on with the job, dealing with the cost of living for all of your listeners and obviously we still have the appalling Russian invasion in Ukraine and we are talking about fighting crime."

Read more: Sue Gray 'ready to name and shame key Partygate players' and may publish photos of events

Rabb denies the PM has 'got away with it'

When pressed on whether he would be in support of the report naming key politicians who were issued with fines, Mr Raab replied: "Well that will ultimately be her call as it has been for the Met.

"All I’d say is that we were very clear that if there were any politicians that have been fined, then we would have full transparency as we have shown. It is ultimately her prerogative"

On Thursday the Met concluded its investigation into a string of alleged lockdown-breaching parties at Downing Street throughout the course of the pandemic.

A total of 126 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued to those found to have broken lockdown rules at eight different events.

A total of 53 men and 73 women received fines, with the Met saying 28 received between two and five FPNs.

The Prime Minister, who received a fine at an earlier stage of the investigation, was told he faced "no further action" from the force.

Read more: Boris in the clear as Met ends Partygate inquiry after 126 fines but no more for PM

Senior civil servant Ms Gray is set to publish her report in full next week.

She reportedly wants to name key individuals at the events and is in discussion with the civil service's human resources and legal teams about the matter.

The Times says her full report could include anonymised photos of the events.

Sources quoted by the Telegraph have said it would be "difficult" for Ms Gray publish the report without naming specific people or their roles, whilst others have suggested she does not want to look like she is "trying to hide something".

Meanwhile, The Times reports Scotland Yard is withholding the list of who the Met has fined from Ms Gray, something that is frustrating the final publication of her report.

The paper also reports that named individuals will be able to read excerpts from the report - and may be able to challenge the findings, which could delay the publication of the report.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Sue Gray will complete her work and then hand that over and then we will publish that as soon as possible. That has not happened yet.

"So in effect, timings are a matter for her, still, in terms of when she completes her report."

Asked if the intention is to publish the report in the form it is received, he said: "As received, yes."