I, like many constituents, remain very angry and frustrated about what happened in Downing Street and across Whitehall during various lockdown restrictions when others across the country, including myself, were keeping to the rules. It was not one rule for us and one rule for them. There have been some truly shameful episodes.
There is ongoing deep anger and upset at what has come out, what we have all learnt and wanting action. I recognise and understand this fully and I do agree. The ‘work hard’ culture clearly moved into something else when senior leaders partook in this and allowed it to happen. Some of what has come out is simply unfathomable.
I have been fully taking stock of all the information available to me. I again have been in the Chamber listening to the explanations, reviewing the report, hearing from very many of my constituents over the past few days or so – who do have wide ranging views on this – I have attended a Parliamentary party briefing meeting and have been feeding back to my Party Whip too.
Many of these people work for the government of the day and this shameful situation has taken so much time and zapped so much energy from my team and other local matters. There is real anger and upset in our local Party too which I have conveyed. No one is immune to this, and nobody is excusing this.
It has highlighted, as I say, some simply appalling and inexcusable drunken behaviour by officials and advisors. I am frankly disgusted to hear that cleaning and security staff were mistreated. I am very keen to see what disciplinary action, by the Civil Service, will be taken against those who acted in any unpleasant way while at work. Working in No 10 in any capacity is vital for delivery of the Government’s work and should be respected in every way.
We have had incredibly challenging times and the vast majority of politicians, civil servants and advisors have acted with integrity and kept to the rules and focussed on the challenge. As we absolutely should have. Trust in us to do that is key and I fully recognise for some people it will be so very hard to gain back and the PM must to be able to overcome this. This destructive behaviour by some has been very damaging, and not what I, when elected as a local politician, would expect to have to be dealing with by those who should have known better.
Many people have been very personally and deeply affected by the Covid impact; that can never be made better and has been harrowing for so many due to this global pandemic. Much has also rightly changed in Downing Street since all this came to light - much of it importantly driven by the PM himself. This is absolutely vital to respond to and I, like many across the country, know this must be fully delivered upon. The House of Commons Privileges Committee will now decide if the Prime Minister intentionally misled Parliament. We will all await this important process, and he has said he will not shy away from all it entails. The PM has admitted he should have done better, taken responsibility and is striving to show this in action. He and our Party working together have to use every sinew to turn this around.
So, after taking stock, I am in no doubt we have a very significant mountain to climb to fix this and all eyes are on this action and what the plan is. I know the Prime Minister is fully committed to doing so; we saw that in the announcements in supporting the most vulnerable once again in weathering this very financially difficult storm.
For some people this is not enough and they wish to see him go. The No 10 team know this erosion of trust must be fixed and that my constituents and myself will be looking to see this happening urgently. We have a chance to show our integrity and change these views. Our Party and this country will not wait for this much longer.
I am, as I say, hugely disappointed and embarrassed by these ongoing, gravely upsetting issues and spiralling poor behaviours across Whitehall which have reflected so badly on us, and my Party, by these officials and others which has overshadowed so much of the good and important work that is being carried out every day by ministers and officials in my Department as Employment Minister at DWP and across Government more widely. I have seen that hard work first-hand led by the PM and so this is even more of a deep frustration.
We must all work harder than ever for our constituents to deliver locally and nationally. I continue to listen to my constituents, and some feel differently too and are ready for the next stage and see the wider positives we have achieved and that the PM has led.
My Mid Sussex casework team and I continue to do our utmost on behalf of constituents and that will never waiver. We have a mountain to climb to get over this, as I say and many will rightly feel. Whatever your view on this matter, that’s not in doubt.
