Timeline of the toxic briefings

FRIDAY, 8PM: Sky News breaks the story of the meeting between Boris Johnson and Sue Gray. The on-air report says ‘details are very, very sketchy’ but any such a meeting would ‘raise eyebrows’ and there was already a huge effort under way to underplay the significance of the meeting. 9PM: Downing Street denies the Prime Minister asked for the meeting – a source says Miss Gray had requested it instead. A statement adds: ‘The Prime Minister commissioned the investigation led by Sue Gray and has been clear throughout that it should be completely independent. As he reiterated again today, the decision on what and when to publish rests entirely with the investigation team and he will respond in parliament once it concludes.’ 10PM: Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner demands the PM explain the ‘secret meeting’. She says: ‘Boris Johnson must urgently explain why he held a secret meeting with Sue Gray to discuss her report despite claiming her investigation was completely independent.’

SATURDAY, 11AM: A spokesman for the Gray inquiry denies it was the Whitehall ethics chief who demanded the meeting.

SUNDAY, 7AM: The Observer newspaper and others reveal detailed briefings of Miss Gray’s work. One source says: ‘She has been left to do it on her own with very little support. She has been horribly isolated.’ 8.30AM: Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi is unable to say who instigated the meeting. He tells Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme: ‘All I can say to you is the meeting... took place between Sue Gray and the Prime Minister.’ 11AM: Press officer working on the report is moved on.