More than 14,000 words but only nine photos: How Sue Gray’s report breaks down

There are 26 references in the report to alcohol.
(gov.uk/PA)
PA Media
Ian Jones25 May 2022

Sue Gray’s final report into partygate runs to just over 14,000 words – nearly six times the length of her initial findings in January.

There are 26 references to alcohol, 20 mentions of wine, 12 of food and eight of cheese, some of which are contained in reproductions of emails and messages.

The report comprises 37 pages of findings and nine photographs.

An excerpt from the Sue Gray report, showing an email invitation to Downing Street staff to attend a garden party (Sue Gray report/Cabinet Office/PA)
PA Media

Of the 37 pages, 28 give a detailed account of 12 events, running from one in the garden of 10 Downing Street on May 15 2020 to two gatherings inside 10 Downing Street on April 16 2021.

The rest of the report comprises seven pages of introduction and two pages of conclusions.

The photographs come from two events in 10 Downing Street: four from a gathering on June 19 2020 to mark Boris Johnson’s birthday, and five from November 13 2020 for the departure of director of communications Lee Cain.

A photo dated November 13 2020 showing Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street (Sue Gray report/Cabinet Office/PA)
PA Media

The word “party” appears only seven times in the report, four of which are contained within references to official Covid-19 guidance.

The conclusion runs to just over 650 words, and it is here that Sue Gray makes her only mention in the report of “failures”, with reference to her initial findings in January:

“I have already commented in my update on what I found to be failures of leadership and judgment in No 10 and the Cabinet Office.”

The conclusion is also where she makes her only reference in the report of things that “should not” have happened:

“Many of these events should not have been allowed to happen.”

There are 18 references in the report to the police, with the final mention appearing in the conclusion:

“It is also clear, from the outcome of the police investigation, that a large number of individuals (83) who attended these events breached Covid regulations and therefore Covid guidance.”

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