Boris Johnson receives heavy criticism from MPs in the Commons in the wake of Sue Gray's report into lockdown parties
Labour leader Keir Starmer says he is taking the public for fools and "hiding behind" a police investigation
Former Tory PM Theresa May questions if the PM felt Covid rules didn't apply to him
Johnson says he is sorry, that he accepts the report and that he will make changes to No 10
Sue Gray's report identifies "failures of leadership and judgment" in Downing Street
She looked at 16 events in total but the Met Police are investigating 12 of them so she had to leave details out
The police say they have been handed more than 300 photos and will start contacting individuals soon
Gray's findings come as some Tory MPs are still weighing up if they want Johnson to continue as PM
A short while ago Sir Keir addressed Tory MPs, calling on them to "end this farce" by calling for a no-confidence vote in Johnson.
"The eyes of this country are upon them," he said. "They will be judged by the decisions they take now."
The Labour leader says the PM "is a man without shame" for not resigning over Sue Gray's initial findings.
He says the PM and everyone implicated in the scandal are "degrading themselves and their offices" and have frayed the "bond of trust between government and the public".
Sir Keir now talks about the "rage and even guilt" many people in the country have felt during the pandemic.
"People shouldn't feel guilty, they should feel pride in themselves and the country," he says.
They have saved lives by abiding by the rules, he says. But he says: "The prime minister has taken us all for fools."
Image source, HoCLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer is the first MP to grill Boris Johnson over Sue Gray’s initial findings.
He thanks Gray for her professionalism and says it's not her fault for not delivering her full report.
"We now know that 12 cases have reached the threshold for a criminal investigation," he says.
The report discloses "damning " details, he says.
The PM says he is making changes now to how Downing Street and the Cabinet Office is run so they can get on with the job of government.
He says the "fragmented" nature needs to be addressed, so he will create an office of the prime minister.
Secondly, he says it is time to review the civil service code of conduct.
And thirdly, he promises more announcements in the coming days to improve the working of government and the connection between No 10 and Parliament.
"I get it and I will fix it," he adds.
Johnson says "it's no use saying this or that was within the rules” or that people were were working hard.
"This pandemic was hard for everyone," he adds. "We asked people across this country to make most extraordinary sacrifices."
The prime minister says he understands the anger people feel and "it isn’t enough to say sorry".
Image source, HoCJohnson says he accepts the findings of Sue Gray's report and says: "We must look at ourselves in the mirror and we must learn."
Boris Johnson begins by apologising "for the things we simply didn’t get right" and "the way this matter has been handled".
Boris Johnson stands at the despatch box to deliver his statement in the House of Commons.
Here we go. We’ll bring you the latest action.
The prime minister has just walked into the Commons and is about to make a statement on Sue Gray’s initial findings.
He is expected to face questions about details of parties in Downing Street during Covid restrictions and omissions requested by the Met Police.
Brace yourselves for a stormy affair as opposition and Tory MPs are likely to demand the publication of the report in full.
Image source, UK ParliamentThe PM's statement is imminent and the benches in the Commons are packed out.
Ministers may be taking questions on education at the moment, but the loud chattering dominating the room is unlikely to be about schooling...
Stay with us for all the updates from the House. You can watch the BBC News Channel's live coverage using the 'play' button at the top of this page.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner calls for Boris Johnson to resign following the publication of Sue Gray’s initial findings, which she calls “damning”.
Speaking to the BBC, Rayner says she thinks it’s “astonishing that he thinks he can get away” with the parties in Downing Street.
“If you break the rules, you have to face consequences,” Rayner says.
“For once in his life he needs to do the right thing,” she adds. “He has to recognise his behaviour has done a lot of damage to the office.”
MPs are starting to file into the House of Commons ahead of a statement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at 15:30 GMT.
Johnson will comment on the initial findings of Sue Gray’s inquiry, which was published by the UK government a short time ago.
Following the statement, expect MPs to grill Johnson over the report’s findings and the separate ongoing inquiry by the Metropolitan Police.
Stay tuned for what could be a significant moment for the future of Johnson’s premiership.
Sue Gray investigated 16 events in Downing Street and other government offices over a 20-month period.
Of those, 12 are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
This list confirms the flat party of 13 November 2020 has been investigated, along with a separate event in No10 on the same day, when former advisors Lee Cain and Dominic Cummings left.
Here’s the full list:
15 May 2020: A photograph showing a number of groups in the garden of No 10 Downing Street
20 May 2020: A gathering in the garden of No 10 Downing Street for No 10 staff
18 June 2020: A gathering in the Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, on the departure of a No 10 private secretary
19 June 2020: A gathering in the Cabinet room in No 10 Downing Street on the prime minister’s birthday
13 November 2020: A gathering in the No 10 Downing Street flat
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser
27 November 2020: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser
10 December 2020: A gathering in the Department for Education ahead of the Christmas break
15 December 2020: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street for an online Christmas quiz
17 December 2020: A gathering in Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, to hold an online Christmas quiz for the Cabinet Secretary’s private office
A gathering in Cabinet Office, 70 Whitehall, on the departure of a senior Cabinet Office official
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a No 10 official
18 December 2020: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street ahead of the Christmas break
14 January 2021: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of two No 10 private secretaries
16 April 2021: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a senior No 10 official
A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of another No 10 official
We're still picking through the report and here's another thing that's jumped out on the culture at Downing Street.
"Some staff wanted to raise concerns about behaviours they witnessed at work but at times felt unable to do so," Sue Gray writes.
"No member of staff should feel unable to report or challenge poor conduct where they witness it. There should be easier ways for staff to raise such concerns informally, outside of the line management chain."
The prime minister is on his way to the Houses of Parliament. He's due to speak in the Commons in less than half an hour.
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
Sue Gray's report lists 16 gatherings she's investigated; that's more than had been highlighted in the media.
Of those, four did not reach the threshold for the police to investigate.
One of those which it appears did, according to the document, is a gathering in the Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020.
That has the potential to be very damaging for the prime minister.
Much of his justification for what went on the building has so far rested on Downing Street also being a workplace.
That argument would seem more difficult to apply to the flat, which is his private residence.
Image source, Getty ImagesShadow foreign secretary David Lammy is one of the first MPs tro respond to the report
MPs have begun reacting to the report on social media.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy says the conclusions show the PM is "a coward, a rule-breaker and needs to step down".
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, says the PM "broke the rules and lied to the country", adding: "He must go before he does our country any more harm."
And the chair of the standards committee, Labour MP Chris Bryant, writes: "Behaviour that is difficult to justify. A serious failure to observe high standards. Failures of leadership and judgement. Excessive consumption of alcohol in a professional workplace. Gatherings that should not have been able to take place. And that’s just the update!"
We're going to hear from Boris Johnson shortly in the Commons and we'll bring you his full response in the wake of this report.
Helen Catt
Political correspondent
Sue Gray says in her document that "it is not possible at present" for her to "provide a meaningful report" because of the Met investigation.
So in her update there is no damning detail, which may be a relief for No 10.
But there is criticism: she talks of failures of leadership and judgment.
The prime minister, as the man at the top, is likely to face further questions on those.
In the report, Sue Gray refers to the Met Police's request that she only make "minimal reference" to the events they are investigating.
Because of that, it means she's been extremely limited in what she can say, the report says.
Sue Gray writes:
Quote MessageAs a result of the Metropolitan Police’s investigations, and so as not to prejudice the police investigative process, they have told me that it would only be appropriate to make minimal reference to the gatherings on the dates they are investigating.
Quote MessageUnfortunately, this necessarily means that I am extremely limited in what I can say about those events and it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report setting out and analysing the extensive factual information I have been able to gather."