My postbag and email inbox over the past few weeks provide a stark reflection of the public anger towards revelation of events in Downing Street during lockdown in 2020.

While I have received fewer emails than following the incident where Dominic Cummings drove to Barnard Castle during the first lockdown, I am no doubt as to the seriousness of the public’s concern. Indeed, having had to limit my own contact by shielding for so long in 2020, I share public anger from those who stuck to the rules despite difficult – in some cases tragic – circumstances. 

Like many, having waited for some time already, I was disappointed Sue Gray’s update on her investigation published on Monday was necessarily so thin, due to action by the Metropolitan Police. But given this intervention, I do believe it is now right to ensure the police have sufficient time to look into any issues they feel are appropriate. So I will not speculate on the PM’s future at this time.

We are going to have to wait until the police have concluded their investigations before we gain insight into how much the Prime Minister was personally aware of what was going on. The failure of leadership for which he has taken responsibility, as identified in the report, is that gatherings have been taking place in the very place where rules were being set by people, some of whom seem not to follow them.

Once the police process has concluded, hopefully as swiftly as possible, I have said it is right for the public to see the Gray report in full.

The report did highlight serious failures in Number 10, so in terms of what we know now, the Prime Minister is right to have apologised, not least to the many people across our country who are angry that rules set in Downing Street do not seem to have been properly observed in Downing Street.

I welcome that the Prime Minister confirmed the initial recommendations from Sue Gray, which reviews the way in which Downing Street and reporting lines are structured, will be implemented in full. This includes establishing a new Permanent Secretary and Office of the Prime Minister, with a review of the code for civil servants and special advisors.

I will provide a further update of my views to constituents once the police inquiry has concluded.