‘Failures Of Leadership': Tories Turn On PM Over Gray Report

• Furious MPs force Johnson into U-turn over publication of all fi ndings • Police parties inquiry revealed to be examining 300 photos and 12 events

- Rowena Mason Jessica Elgot

Boris Johnson was desperately trying to shore up his premiership in the wake of the Sue Gray report as detectives were revealed to be investigating 300 photos and 12 events in Downing Street, including a party in the prime minister’s private flat.

Johnson faced a wall of anger from Conservative MPs in the House of Commons after the Gray report into 16 parties found many were “difficult to justify” and condemned “failures of leadership and judgment” in No 10 and the Cabinet Office.

Scotland Yard officers have obtained more than 300 photographs and 500 pages of documents. The images include photos taken at alleged parties and from securitysystem cameras showing people entering and exiting buildings, the Guardian understands.

Tory grandees were among those who made stinging interventions criticising Johnson’s conduct, with his predecessor, Theresa May, questioning his comprehension of the rules and the former chief whip Andrew Mitchell saying the prime minister no longer has his support.

Angela Richardson, a Tory aide, said she had resigned her government job last week citing “disappointment” with the prime minister while Aaron Bell, an MP from the 2019 intake, gave an emotionally charged speech accusing Johnson of making him look a fool after he stuck to the rules during his grandmother’s funeral.

However, Johnson appeared to have staved off an immediate challenge by pledging a shake-up of his Downing Street operation and belatedly promising to publish Gray’s full account of the parties once the police have finished investigating.