Karaoke machines, broken swings, sick and 'boozy altercations': Inside Boris Johnson's rule breaking Downing Street

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Boris Johnson "must bear responsibility" for the culture of Covid rule breaking in Downing Street during lockdown, a scathing report by top civil servant Sue Gray has concluded.

Her report, published this morning, found that "failures of leadership and judgment in Number 10 and the Cabinet Office" resulted in regular gatherings that were "not in line with Covid guidance at the time".

Ms Gray said there were "multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff" by those attending the gatherings. Read more: The potential missed opportunities to stop woman who murdered 'vulnerable' partner after years of abuse She added: "Many will be dismayed that behaviour of this kind took place on this scale at the heart of Government. "The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this." Ms Gray's report details a number of events that took place over the last two years, one - a leaving do held in June 2020 - lays bare the extent the rule breaking.

Dozens of staff attended the event in the Cabinet Office where, the report states: "Some brought pizza and prosecco and they were followed by others, over the next couple of hours. "Helen MacNamara, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, attended for part of the evening and provided a karaoke machine which was set up in an adjoining office to the waiting room. "The event lasted for a number of hours.