The government could roll-out a massive support package to ease the cost of living crisis at the same time as the potentially damaging partygate report is published.
Sky News reported Rishi Sunak is set to announce a multibillion-pound financial package to help with the squeeze on households on Thursday – a day after the Sue Gray inquiry findings are expected.
The chancellor and the prime minister are reported to be meeting on Wednesday to thrash out the bail-out. The package could include a new windfall tax, help with fuel bills and support for the most vulnerable.
The Independent reported an extension to the warm homes discount, worth hundreds of pounds to some families, could come this week. It cited a Downing Street insider saying it would provide a “soft landing” for Boris Johnson.
Critics are likely to seize on the timing of the added help, which the Labour Party has been demanding for weeks, as a “dead cat” distraction from partygate.
MPs break for their parliamentary recess on Thursday, giving the government a small window if they want to announce measures to ease the crisis this side of June. Fears are growing after the head of Ofgem said the energy price cap is expected to increase by a further £830 to £2,800 in October.
Johnson was already under renewed pressure after images obtained by ITV News showed him raising a glass while surrounded by colleagues and bottles of wine.
Days after ordering England’s second national lockdown, the pictures showed the prime minister giving a toast for departing communications chief Lee Cain on November 13 2020.
Meanwhile, BBC Panorama on Tuesday reported Downing Street insiders describing chaotic mid-lockdown parties in No 10 they felt were condoned by Johnson as he “was grabbing a glass for himself”.
Three anonymous individuals told the programme in detail what they witnessed at regular rule-breaking events during coronavirus restrictions.
At the same time, the Mirror has revealed another image which has been claimed to show another party taking place at Downing Street during the coronavirus lockdown.
The newspaper has obtained a picture showing a man standing at a table with nine bottles of wine and prosecco as well as doughnuts and miniature cakes.
The newspaper claims it was taken at a gathering to mark the final press briefing by Johnson’s official spokesman James Slack on November 17, 2020, during England’s second national coronavirus lockdown.
It added that the event was allegedly attended by 30 to 40 staff and was not believed to have been investigated by Gray or the Metropolitan Police.
Meanwhile, No 10 was forced to deny that Johnson urged Gray to drop plans to publish her report in a private meeting earlier this month.
The Times reported that the PM suggested to the senior civil servant that there was no longer any point in releasing her findings as the facts were “all out there”.
Johnson’s official spokesman said he did not recognise “that characterisation” of the meeting and insisted the prime minister wants the report to be published.
Scotland Yard was also facing calls to explain why Johnson was not fined over that event when photos showed him, drink in hand, by a table strewn with food and wine bottles.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “As part of their investigation the Cabinet Office team were able to speak to No 10 staff to establish the facts on what happened during this period. Both they and the Met Police have had access to all information relevant to their investigations, including photographs.
“The Met have concluded their investigation and Sue Gray will publish her report shortly, at which point the prime minister will address parliament in full.”