I would like to assure my constituents that I have absolutely taken onboard the widespread feelings of deep anger across our area, and indeed the whole country, at what has occurred.

Whilst of course this issue is being used by those who are strongly opposed politically to this Government and Boris Johnson as the Prime Minister, my concern is for non-political constituents who simply feel let down by the machine of Government, on whose instructions they made such huge personal sacrifices and whom they now discover were flouting the very same rules.

That is both deeply painful and insulting to those who made such sacrifices, and damaging more generally to public trust in our machinery of Government and democracy.

I completely ‘get’ and indeed share that public concern, which is why I’ve consistently made clear how seriously I take those views and have raised them with relevant Ministers and the Prime Minister’s office, calling for broader reforms to the working of Number 10 and the creation of a new Prime Minister’s Department.

I didn’t comment immediately in the media upon the publication of the Sue Gray Report on Wednesday because I wanted to READ both the report carefully in full before having my say, and reflect on the views of constituents, which I’ve now had the chance to do.

The Sue Gray Report makes clear there was a shocking culture of routine office drinking amongst staff in parts of Downing Street and the Cabinet Office complex of offices during the pandemic emergency – seemingly accepted by both senior civil servants as well as more junior staff – which is seriously concerning and inappropriate.

Whilst the Prime Minister is ultimately responsible for the culture of the administration, and is right to take responsibility, apologise and make clear it was wrong and needs to change, the Report makes clear this is a deeper problem in the culture of Number 10 as a 24/7 crisis management ‘bunker’ at the heart of Government.

Whilst I think most people could understand and forgive staff working closely together on the frontline in crisis management of the Covid crisis – whether in a local NHS hospital, the Public Health England pandemic HQ or at the heart of the Cabinet Office/Number 10 pandemic crisis management team – taking a moment occasionally to share a meal break together, the Sue Gray Report suggests a culture of heavy drinking and routine late night partying by staff in Number 10 which is both shocking and deeply worrying.

For the majority of citizens who made such huge sacrifices by following the rules, this will be all the more shocking.

To repair damaging public trust, serious changes now need to be made to show the lessons have been learnt.

The Prime Minister was right to admit that and apologise again on Wednesday, and work is already underway for the biggest overhaul of Number 10 management in living memory – with the creation of a new Prime Minister’s Department that will codify leadership structures and management within the sprawling complex that is Number 10.

Please be assured that I will continue to raise all of my constituents’ concerns with Ministers and Civil Service leaders, and ensure their voices are being heard loud and clear as reforms to the way Downing Street is run are drawn up and implemented.

Thank you to all those who have taken the time to contact me on what I agree is a deeply serious issue for us all: for public trust and respect for the democratic process of lawmaking it is essential that the public can see those who make the laws set an example in also abiding by them.

This isn’t just a phrase: the taking of personal responsibility has always been at the very core of my Conservatism.

It is vital that the public can see that the lessons of this saga are now learnt and applied properly.