Over the last few days, I have received a lot of correspondence about the media reports that events took place in Downing Street during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I entirely understand the concerns that have been raised and I also fully appreciate the disappointment and anger that many people will have that, at a time when so many of us were sacrificing seeing loved ones by following the guidance, those who were making the rules were not following them.
Whilst I have shared this disappointment with Ministerial colleagues, I am at least pleased that the Prime Minister has quite rightly apologised unreservedly for the event that he attended in the Downing Street Garden in May 2020.
In the meantime, I do believe it is the right course of action to wait for the conclusions of the independent inquiry into these events and I look forward to reading Sue Gray's report in full. I have urged that this is published as soon as possible.
Nonetheless, I absolutely do appreciate the strength of feeling that the constituents who have contacted me have about this matter, and I have conveyed this very strongly to colleagues in the Government.
