UK government lockdown parties fell short of standards but did not reflect prevailing culture - report

LONDON (Reuters) - Parties that broke coronavirus lockdown rules at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office fell short of high expected standards but did not reflect the prevailing culture of government at the time, an internal investigation found.

"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," the report, authored by civil servant Sue Gray, said.

"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."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by William James)