Zahawi: Johnson did not intervene in Sue Gray partygate report
A senior cabinet minister has said Boris Johnson did not intervene in Sue Gray’s partygate report amid revelations that the Prime Minister met with the senior civil servant to speak about her investigation.
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi today said that “the Prime Minister will never intervene in Sue Gray’s investigation” and that “the Prime Minister wants Sue Gray to basically go wherever the evidence takes her”.
Gray’s report into the Downing Street partygate scandal is expected to be released in the coming days, after the Metropolitan Police finished its probe into the saga earlier this week.
The police did not give Johnson any additional fines after the one he was handed last month, however it is expected that Gray’s report could be damning of Johnson’s role in the saga.
Sky News reported on Friday that the Prime Minister met with Gray several weeks ago, however there was confusion over who called the meeting between the Prime Minister and the senior civil servant.
Number 10 said it was called by Gray and Gray’s spokesperson said it was called by Johnson.
Speaking to Sky News today, Zahawi said he did not know who initiated the meeting.
“The Prime Minister will never intervene in Sue Gray’s investigation. The Prime Minister wants Sue Gray to basically go wherever the evidence takes her,” he said.
“If Sue Gray decides … how she’s going to deliver the final report, that’s up to Sue Gray.”