George Eustice told Eamonn and Rosie on GB News that the party, including the Prime Minister, feels these 'episodes' shouldn't have happened
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A Tory MP told GB News of his frustration at partygate incidents occurring in Downing Street while the rest of the country, including himself, was in lockdown.
Boris Johnson is braced for Sue Gray's report into parties during lockdown at Westminster, which could bring more allegations of him breaking the rules.
Appearing on Breakfast with Eamonn and Rosie, environment secretary George Eustice said he would be waiting for the report to be published before commenting on the future of the Prime Minister.
He also said there had been a "blurring of lines" during lockdown which contributed to the parties.
George Eustice
GB News
He told GB News: "Sue Gray said in her interim report there'd been a blurring of the lines between things like a drink at the end of the day in a working environment or a send off for somebody who was departing.
"Some of those descended into what it's now clear were actually parties.
"Obviously we'd all prefer that none of this ever happened, myself included, full observed the rules and stayed in lockdown like everyone else.
"We all find it deeply frustrating that these episodes happened right in No.10."
A man holds up a copy of the Sue Gray report in central London on the alleged gatherings on Government premises during Covid restrictions
Stefan Rousseau
Senior civil servant Simon Case, who had been expected to be the first scapegoat following the publishing of the report, is keeping his job.
And Mr Eustice said the Conservative Party, including the Prime Minister, believed the incidents should not have happened.
He added: "She's already published an interim report and we've had a very exhaustive enquiry from police and they've issued dozens of fixed penalty notices including one for the Prime Minister himself which he's paid.
"He's apologised for all those events. We'll wait and see what the final Sue Gray report is.
"She's likely to build on some of the recommendations she made in her interim report and we'l study that very carefully.
"All of us including the Prime Minister would prefer that these episodes didn't occur, they shouldn't have happened."