British MPs demand full report on boozy Covid bashes at PM's residence

UK parliamentarians demanded on Saturday that the Gray Report on illegal parties at the prime minister’s residence during Covid lockdown be published in full, amid concerns that key details could be withheld.

Lawmakers from across the political divide, including top Conservative Party MPs, accused police of obstructing the report’s publication. 

"Now the Metropolitan Police seem to be interfering both in the content of the report and trying to prevent it being published in an unredacted form. Under the rules of law which apply in our country, this is not sub judice … that’s why I think this is an abuse of power by the Metropolitan police," Conservative MP Christopher Chope told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.

Similar sentiment was expressed by fellow Tory Adam Hollway, who called for the "whole of Sue Gray's report" to be published.

The MP for Gravesham defended Prime Minister Boris Johnson, however, highlighting that the premier allegedly did not know that the gatherings were parties.

“The fact is we’re not getting a full and rounded view from what we’re getting from the media, and that’s why I – and probably Boris too – would like to see the whole of Sue Gray’s report, and as soon as possible, so we can end this madness,” Hollow told the BBC.

Opposition lawmakers from the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats also urged that the report be released unredacted.

Prime Minister Johnson has been accused of lying to parliament about what he knew and when, with regard to boozy parties held in Downing Street in apparent breach of his own government's Covid rules over the past two years.

A report into the goings on at Downing Street by civil servant Sue Gray is set to be published without the sections relevant into police inquiries into the gatherings following a request for "minimal reference" to those events by the Metropolitan Police, Sky News reported on Friday.

The report added that Johnson will likely receive a redacted version of the report before it is published next week.