Partygate: ‘Sense of injustice’ among women and low-paid Downing Street staff over fines dished out
There is reportedly anger among Downing Street’s low-paid female junior staff who racked up partygate fines.
ITV’s political editor Robert Peston said there was a “sense of injustice” because of the 126 officials fined by the Met, they disproportionately fell on women and junior officials.
He quoted a source which said most were “very junior diary managers” on under £25k a year, who unlike the prime minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak, were unable to defend themselves with lawyers.
Peston added that they were getting fined for “events they were at with they male bosses” who got away with it.
The Sue Gray report will be published next week, after the Met Police confirmed it has closed its investigation into so-called ‘partygate’ breaches.
Speaking in Wales today, the PM commented on Partygate for the first time since the Met closed its investigation. He said: “I am very grateful to the Met for their work. I am very grateful for the work they have done. I just think that we need to wait for Sue Gray to report and then … fingers crossed … that will be very soon.”