Prime Minister pressed to 'urgently explain' meeting with Sue Gray over partygate report

Labour has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to 'urgently explain' why he met Sue Gray to discuss her pivotal partygate report. It is understood the pair held at least one meeting to give an update on the document's progress while it was being drafted, but a Whitehall source said that its contents were not discussed at any point.

Such meetings would not have been viewed as unusual, the source said, with the aim to take stock of what stage the report was at. It comes as around 30 people, including Mr Johnson, are being contacted by the Cabinet Office to warn them of the contents of the document ahead of its publication.

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, called on the Prime Minister to 'urgently explain' why the 'secret meeting' had taken place. She said public confidence in the process had already been 'depleted' - and that people 'deserve to know the truth'.

READ MORE:Cost of living crisis: Hundreds of supermarket products more than 20 per cent pricier over last two years

Downing Street insisted the Prime Minister had been 'clear throughout' that the report should be 'completely independent'. It is thought that most of the Cabinet Office letters were sent out on Thursday, as the Metropolitan Police concluded its investigation into lockdown breaches in Downing Street and across Whitehall.

Mr Johnson is set to be among those approached, but No 10 had no update as to whether he had received a letter on Friday evening.

Ms Rayner said: "Boris Johnson must urgently explain why he held a secret meeting with Sue Gray to discuss her report despite claiming her investigation was completely independent. Public confidence in the process is already depleted, and people deserve to know the truth.

"This is a Prime Minister