'No amount of sorries will make up for this': Grieving family react to Sue Gray's partygate report

Liz Shingleston was just one of the 156,000 people who died with Covid-19 in the past two years.

To her family, she was not a statistic but was a much loved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. For her daughter Lisa, her death still leaves a whole in their lives.

When Liz caught Covid-19 last year, she was taken from her home in Dunragit, near Stranraer to the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary for treatment at a time of national lockdown.

Allegations though has surfaced that at the time she was ill there was social mixing and parties not permitted under Covid-19 rules at the heart of government, 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official residence.

For Liz's daughter Lisa, this sticks in her throat.

"You think that you'll be by their side but that was taken away from us and we had no control over that," she said.

"They had control of what they were doing. And no amount of sorries make up for this." 

Sue Gray’s report into the allegation was released this afternoon. Since the Metropolitan Police requested only minimal reference to events that are subject to a criminal investigation – a move that has faced criticism – the report is a watered-down version.

It states that there was a "failure of leadership" in Downing Street and that several events "should not have been allowed to take place".

Speaking in Parliament, Boris Johnson said he was "sorry for the things we simply didn't get right and also sorry for the way that this matter has been handled".

He said he would "learn from these events and act now" by implementing changes to improve the running of government.

Mr Johnson though has faced multiple calls to resign from MPs.