UK investigation into Covid lockdown parties says senior leadership 'must bear responsibility'

Opposition lawmakers accuse Johnson of having knowingly misled Parliament.

LONDON — A highly anticipated investigation into numerous Covid-19 lockdown-breaking parties at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office and residence has been released, intensifying pressure on the embattled Conservative Party leader.

The comprehensive report from senior civil servant Sue Gray found that many of the gatherings held in Downing Street and Whitehall during Covid lockdowns over the last two years should not have been allowed to happen.

"The senior leadership at the centre, both political and official, must bear responsibility for this culture," the report said.

"At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the...