Sources have suggested that Sue Gray’s report will include photographs of Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, but will protect the identities of other officials who attended the meetings on Downing Street.
That would mean photos of Mr Case at the anniversary meeting in the cabinet room that led to the Prime Minister and the chancellor receiving fines, an inconsistency that has raised questions about the Met investigation.
Sources said that the report – which could be sent to number 10 tomorrow morning and will be published in the middle of the morning – will have photographs similar to those published by ITV News this week.
I also heard that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor could try to move the agenda immediately on Thursday, with a new cost-of-living package after warning that the energy price cap could rise to £ 2,800 this October.
However, experts admitted that while that was the hope, the timing could be a bit tight, so close to tomorrow’s report, and since Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak have yet to be according to the package.
On Mrs Gray’s report, I have also heard of a dispute between her and Mr Case over whether officials will be appointed. She had wanted to identify about 15 or 20 top personalities, but he wanted them to remain anonymous.
A source said Ms Gray had said she would only remove the names with what is known as a ministerial directive, in which a minister (probably Michael Ellis) insists on the move.
The cabinet office flatly denied that Mr. Case was urging Ms. Gray to anonymize the report. A government source said Mr Case had withdrawn from the process.
But Downing Street sources insisted that it was entirely up to her whether to call people or not.
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