Controversy #10 at Christmas parties: Simon’s case no longer leads the investigation after a Christmas event in his office was revealed | politics news

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The chief civil servant will no longer lead an investigation into alleged 10th birthday parties after it was revealed he was aware of a separate party in his office in December last year.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has removed himself from his role of chairing the investigation into allegations of detained parties in Downing Street and other government buildings last year in alleged violations of COVID lockdown rules.

This comes after a festive event took place at Kiss’ private office in December last year.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: “To ensure that the ongoing investigation retains public confidence, the Cabinet Secretary has stepped down for the remainder of the process.

“The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Department of Settlement, Housing and Communities.

It will verify the facts and present its findings to the Prime Minister.”

Photo: Sue Gray, Second Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Settlement, Housing and Communities, will take over from Simon Case

What parties are allegedly held in Whitehall and Downing Street during the lockdown?

Mr. Case was appointed to lead the investigation just nine days ago.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the investigation after a video emerged of 10 officials joking and laughing about a Christmas party that was said to have taken place on December 18, 2020.

What was the “Christmas party” held in Kiss office?

The Cabinet Office confirmed earlier on Friday that a hypothetical test had taken place on December 17, 2020 for members of Mr Case’s private office.

Sky News understands that the event was described as a “Christmas party” in the diary and involved six people in the office – those who were already in the office – and about six people at home.

The event lasted for an hour as people enjoyed snacks and drinks at their desks.

Although Mr. Case did not participate, it is understood that he walked across the office to get to his personal office and was aware of what was happening.

At the end of the day, he walked out and thanked the staff in an address that lasted five to ten minutes.

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1:23 Angela Rayner responds as Simon Case is stepping down as the leader of the Downing Street investigation after it was revealed he had knowledge of a Christmas event in his office last year.

On December 16 last year, London went into Tier 3 COVID restrictions, which forced pubs and restaurants to close and banned different families from mingling indoors.

A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Staff of the Cabinet Secretary’s Private Office participated in a virtual test on December 17, 2020.

“A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, participated from their desks, while the rest of the team was virtually.

The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the team office on his way to his office.

“No outside guests or other employees were invited or attended. This went on for an hour and the attendees purchased drinks and snacks.

He also spoke briefly with the staff in the office before leaving.”

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Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner has called for Ms Gray’s investigation to be completed “very quickly to restore public confidence” and any evidence of parties to be handed over to the police.

“Boris Johnson has set the tone for his government and he’s living on one rule for him and one rule for everyone else,” she said.

“People can see it now and it’s very hard to believe that no one in the government knew these parties were happening.

Analysis by Jo Paik, political reporter

The Party Gate scandal is increasing day by day, and so is the civil service’s investigation into what happened and when.

That the Cabinet Secretary had to resign from the investigation lead at Christmas parties because he attended one is quite comical and discredits Simon Case.

It is also potentially very dangerous for Boris Johnson and his team.

Sue Gray, the government employee who handles the investigation, is a dreaded former ethics boss who has finished her ministerial jobs.

But this time, you will be looking at the behavior of civil servants and political advisors, not elected politicians. However it is unlikely to pull the punches.

Unlike Case, a Johnson appointee, Gray is seen as independent-minded and said to be “fully committed to public service”.

Its final report will likely draw a line under the whole affair, but some in Downing Street could end up as collateral damage.

“There is a tremendous amount of evidence now.

“The investigation that Sue Gray is going to lead – there is evidence out there – they need to do that investigation very quickly to restore public confidence and then turn that evidence over to the police.

Because no one is above the law.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, told Sky News the investigation into the Downing Street parties’ allegations should not now continue under the supervision of “another civil servant” such as Ms Gray.

“It must be done properly, it must be led by the judge,” he said.

“When the public has been asked to follow the guidelines, to follow the rules, to make sure that we protect our fellow citizens, we protect the NHS by doing the right thing, it is clear from all this that it was one rule for all of us and one rule of government.”

Who will now lead the investigation into the party’s claims?

Ms. Gray is a long-serving civil servant and formerly the Government’s Chief Ethics Officer.

As Director-General of Fitness and Ethics in the Cabinet Office, she led an investigation into Theresa May’s former deputy prime minister, Damien Green.

This prompted Green to be fired in 2017 after it was found that he had lied about discovering pornography on his computer in the House of Commons.

Gray has previously been described, in the memoirs of former Liberal Democrat Cabinet Secretary David Luz, as the person who “runs Britain” and “the real leader” of the United Kingdom.

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