HERE is what Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell is telling residents about Boris and Partygate:
“I fully understand the hurt and anger you feel about what happened in Downing Street. I voted for the rules that were broken and I kept to them so I do understand.
I have heard many upsetting accounts of those who did not see loved ones before they died and it is heartbreaking.
I was dismayed and angry to read the Gray report and by some of the details around incidents, including drunken behaviour and rudeness to cleaning and security staff.
As well as being completely unacceptable, I know these revelations have caused another wave of pain for those in Eastbourne and Willingdon who kept to the rules at great personal cost and who lost loved ones.
I do accept the PM was present at these gatherings for only a short space of time before he left many hours before they got out of hand and that Downing Street is a vast workplace.
However, he has rightly taken full responsibility for what happened on his watch and has apologised. He has recognised this was not good enough and fell way below the standards we should expect.
I am pleased that much has changed at Downing Street since these events took place. I also understand the PM has apologised to the cleaning and security staff.
This part of the report from page 39 is key for me and I reprint it here because it sums up my own thoughts on the matter.
“Many will be dismayed that behaviour of this kind took place on this scale at the heart of Government.
“The public have a right to expect the very highest standards of behaviour in such places and clearly what happened fell well short of this.
“It is my firm belief, however, that these events did not reflect the prevailing culture in Government and the Civil Service at the time. Many thousands of people up and down the country worked tirelessly to deliver in unprecedented times.”
However, in April, The House of Commons called for the Prime Minister to be referred to the Committee of Privileges and there now remains their findings on the question of whether the Prime Minister intentionally misled the House.
As we await that inquiry, Conservative MPs undertook a vote of confidence in the Prime Minister, which he won. I received a number of messages from constituents ahead of that vote and considered carefully all the points raised. Thank you for taking the time to write with your own position.
Now, the local, national and international concerns and challenges we are tackling must come to the fore and they merit all our focus and energy.”