LONDON (AP) \u2014 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologized Monday for lockdown-flouting parties in Downing Street — but insisted that he and his government can be trusted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons that he would make changes to the way the government is run in the wake of the \u201cpartygate\u201d scandal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: \u201cI get it and I will fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He spoke after senior civil servant Sue Gray found that gatherings by the prime minister and his staff represent a \u201cserious failure\u201d to observe the standards expected of government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gray published findings on four gatherings in 2020 and 2021, and police are investigating a further dozen events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson has rebuffed calls to resign from opposition politicians and some of his own Conservative lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP\u2019s earlier story follows below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LONDON (AP) \u2014 Social gatherings held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff while Britain was in lockdown represent a \u201cserious failure\u201d to observe the standards expected of government, an investigation found Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senior civil servant Sue Gray concluded that \u201cfailures of leadership and judgment\u201d allowed events to occur that \u201cshould not have been allowed to take place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAgainst the backdrop of the pandemic, when the government was asking citizens to accept far-reaching restrictions on their lives, some of the behavior surrounding these gatherings is difficult to justify,\u201d Gray said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gray\u2019s glimpse inside a 10 Downing St. marked by excessive alcohol consumption and staff afraid to speak out about workplace problems are a blow to Johnson \u2014 who has previously said the rules were followed at all times \u2014 and come despite the fact that Gray\u2019s conclusions relate to just four of the 16 events she investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her findings on 12 other events in 2020 and 2021 have been withheld at the request of the police, who have launched a criminal investigation into the most serious alleged breaches of coronavirus rules. The cuts have led opponents to accuse Johnson of a whitewash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson was due to make a statement on the findings in the House of Commons later Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the events under investigation by police are a June 2020 birthday party for Johnson in Downing Street and two gatherings held on the eve of Prince Philip\u2019s funeral in April 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allegations that the prime minister and his staff flouted restrictions imposed on the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus have caused public anger, led some Conservative lawmakers to call for Johnson\u2019s resignation and triggered intense infighting inside the governing party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson has denied personal wrongdoing and said he has \u201cabsolutely no intention\u201d of resigning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Johnson\u2019s grip on power has been weakened by allegations that he and his staff flouted restrictions they imposed on the country in 2020 and 2021 to curb the spread of the coronavirus with \u201cbring your own booze\u201d office parties, birthday celebrations and \u201cwine time Fridays.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe hardship under which citizens across the country worked, lived and sadly even died while observing the government\u2019s regulations and guidance rigorously are known only too well,\u201d Gray wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt times it seems there was too little thought given to what was happening across the country in considering the appropriateness of some of these gatherings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Opposition Labour Party lawmaker David Lammy tweeted: \u201cDuring this crisis, our country needed a leader more than at any time since the Second World War. We didn\u2019t get one. This report shows what we have known all along: The Prime Minister is a coward, a rule-breaker and needs to step down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Publication of Gray\u2019s report was delayed when the Metropolitan Police force launched its own investigation last week into the most serious alleged breaches of coronavirus rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The force said it had asked for Gray\u2019s report to make only \u201cminimal reference\u201d to the events being investigated by detectives \u201cto avoid any prejudice to our investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson\u2019s opponents accused the government of trying to water down a report that could trigger an attempt to oust the prime minister by his own party. Some Conservative lawmakers said they would push for a no-confidence vote if Gray found Johnson was at serious fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gray did not criticize the prime minister directly, but said \u201cthere is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across government.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The circumscribed and partial report may give Johnson at least a temporary reprieve from calls for his ouster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a mess,\u201d said Will Walden, a former Johnson aide. \u201cIt\u2019s probably bad for democracy, but inadvertently good for the PM.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s unclear whether Gray\u2019s full findings will be published once the police investigation is finished. Johnson\u2019s spokesman, Max Blain, said the prime minister\u2019s office would discuss with police and Gray\u2019s team \u201cwhat is suitable\u201d to publish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson could be interviewed by detectives as part of their probe and may face a fine if he is found to have breached the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson, meanwhile, was trying to change the subject from his personal woes, marking the second anniversary of Brexit on Monday by touting economic opportunities outside the European Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The U.K. officially left the now 27-nation bloc on Jan. 31, 2020, though it remained part of the EU\u2019s economic structures for another 11 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since then, the upheaval of the coronavirus pandemic has obscured the economic ructions caused by the end of frictionless trade with Britain\u2019s biggest economic partner. Britain\u2019s economy is growing after entering recession amid pandemic lockdowns, but trade with the EU has fallen since Brexit introduced customs checks and other hurdles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson vowed Monday to unlock the potential of Brexit, unveiling a \u201cBrexit Freedoms\u201d Bill that the government says will slash red tape for British businesses by amending laws that were carried over from the U.K.\u2019s years as an EU member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Opponents say the bill will just make it easier for the government to change laws without Parliament\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government is also promising this week to give long-awaited details of plans to \u201clevel up\u201d the country by expanding economic opportunity to neglected regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And Johnson plans a diplomatic push to try to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine. His office says the prime minister will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone later Monday and visit Ukraine on Tuesday as part of efforts to deter Russia from invading its neighbor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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