As I have received a high volume of correspondence on the Sue Gray report/confidence vote in the past 2 weeks, I am therefore sending the same reply to most people which I hope answers most questions.
On the findings of the Sue Gray report, I have said since the first party revelations that I could not defend parties taking place and was not tempted to try. The findings of the full report were very uncomfortable to read: I don’t believe these events should have happened and I particularly abhor the treatment by certain (unnamed) No 10 employees of staff who are there to support the running of the building. I fully understand the anger of people who, as a result of the pandemic restrictions, couldn't do something significant with a loved one who subsequently died and I have not and will not tell those people they should 'just move on’. I was lucky not to lose anyone in the past 2 years and I can't imagine how difficult it was not to be able to say goodbye to someone properly if you did.
On the mechanics of how the Sue Gray report and the Metropolitan Police investigation were conducted, I don't agree with people who have questioned the integrity of those conducting these investigations because they don't like part/all of the conclusions.
On the confidence vote this week, it has been a pretty unpleasant week with some of my colleagues criticising and insulting other of my colleagues. I have not and will not take part in this: I don't do this to people in opposition parties and am not going to start doing it to people in my own. Everyone can see there was a division in the party in the confidence vote, but the Prime Minister won the vote and I think I and my colleagues should all now focus on supporting him and the rest of the Government to deliver the improvements to the country that we were elected to deliver, and not just carry on a public argument with each other over a question which was given an answer on Monday.
On the Committee of Privileges inquiry, as with the Sue Gray report and Police Investigation, I will stand by whatever the Committee of Privileges conclude.
