Sue Gray slams ‘excessive alcohol consumption’ in Downing Street

Senior civil servant condemns 'not appropriate' level of alcohol consumption

The long-awaited report into the Downing Street lockdown parties has identified "excessive consumption" of alcohol as one of the document's key findings. This "excessive consumption of alcohol" at the heart of government was described as "not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time." It's understood that the night before Prince Philip's funeral, a Number 10 staffer was reportedly dispatched to a local Co-Op on the Strand to fill a suitcase with wine. The suitcase was then wheeled back down to Whitehall, where lockdown laws in place at the time had banned Brits meeting in groups of more than six. Gray's initial findings describe some of the behaviour as "difficult to justify" and as "a serious failure to observe" the "high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government." The report shows Scotland Yard are currently investigating two events previously undisclosed to the public. Gray's investigation references a total of 16 events - and confirms only four have not been passed onto the police. Gray stressed, however, that she was "extremely limited in what I can say" about the Downing Street events and that today's findings were not the "meaningful report" that the public had been expecting. The prime minister is expected to give a statement in the commons at 3.30PM on Monday. Related links:

• No 10 staff partied until 1am in seven-hour booze session before Prince Philip funeral, reports say
• Met probe could be good news for Boris Johnson as Sue Gray report delayed
• Downing Street parties: Cressida Dick confirms Met will investigate No 10 lockdown events