Boris Johnson had private meeting with Sue Gray to discuss her partygate report

Boris Johnson and Sue Gray held a private meeting to discuss progress on her partygate report.

It is understood, the pair are said to have discussed where Ms Gray believed the Met Police were with their inquiry, and Whitehall’s knowledge of how far they had progressed with interviews, Sky News reports.

No10 confirmed today (Friday May 20) there was a meeting but did not disclose what was discussed.

A Number 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister commissioned the investigation led by Sue Gray and has been clear throughout that it should be completely independent.

“As he reiterated again today, the decision on what and when to publish rests entirely with the investigation team and he will respond in Parliament once it concludes.”

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner called for Mr Johnson must urgently explain why he held a “secret meeting” with Ms Gray to discuss her report – despite claiming her investigation was completely independent.

She said: “Public confidence in the process is already depleted, and people deserve to know the truth.

“This is a Prime Minister incapable of taking responsibility for the rotten culture he has created in Downing Street or of doing the decent thing.

“The Sue Gray report must be published in full and with all accompanying evidence.”

It was also revealed today, the around 30 people including Mr Johnson are being contacted by the Cabinet Office to warn them of the contents of the report.

It is thought that most of the 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 by the Cabinet Office team but No 10 had no update as to whether he had received a letter on Friday evening.

It is understood the Prime Minister and Ms Gray held at least one meeting to update on the report’s progress while it was being drafted, but that its contents were not discussed at any point.

Such meetings would not have been viewed as unusual, a source said, with the aim to take stock of what stage the report was at.

Not everyone contacted by the Cabinet Office will necessarily be named or identified by some other means in the report – it may merely be that their actions are referenced because they are pertinent to the narrative of a particular event.

The investigators are understood not to be including the full details of the contents in the letters but instead are giving a “gist” of the relevant sections to those being approached.

Earlier, Mr Johnson insisted he would not seek to block names appearing in the senior civil servant’s report, and said he was “looking forward” to seeing its contents “pretty soon”.

The Prime Minister said he was “very grateful” for the Met’s investigation, which concluded with 126 fines.

Sources close to the investigation expect it will be published early next week.

But both Johnsons were told by police they face no further action, according to Downing Street, and Mr Sunak has not received an additional fine.

The Met said 28 individuals had received between two and five fines.