Johnson Apologizes to Parliament Following Publication of Report on Downing Street Parties (FILE)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologized after the publication of a report by Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office, that alleges Johnson’s staff held gatherings on government premises during COVID-19 restrictions.

In a statement in the House of Commons on January 31, Johnson said that he accepted Gray’s general findings in full, including what he said was her recommendation that “we must learn from these events and act now.”

The report detailed 16 gatherings under investigation, of which 12 were being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

Gray said that she was unable to provide a “meaningful” report in light of the police investigation, as she is limited in what she can say.

The report concluded that a number of the gatherings “should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did.”

“There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded,” the report said. Credit: Parliament TV via Storyful