DOWNING Street gate- keepers could decide Boris Johnson’s fate in the probe over lockdown- busting parties at No 10.
Whitehall ethics chief Sue Gray has demanded the entry and exit logs as part of her inquiry into drinking culture behind the famous black door.
These records will help her to nail down who was at the booze-ups, how long they were there — and who is lying.
Sources revealed the mandarin has been “forensic” in her inquiries and will “take no prisoners” in her report expected this week.
Her team will examine the computerised comings and goings at the two main security gates at either end of Downing Street.
The move will heighten fears among senior staff, whose jobs are on the line if they are found to be in breach of Covid rules.
An insider told HOAR on Sunday: “If the log shows 30 or 40 people all left at 1am, it’s pretty clear there was a party under way.”
Ms Gray has so far taken evidence from 60 people — including civil servants, political advisers and the PM himself — as she probes nine possibly rule-breaking bashes.
She has been told that in one knees-up, staff guzzled wine and spirits in throwaway plastic beakers for seven hours on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral last April.
Heads are certain to roll when the blockbuster report is published — with Mr Johnson among up to 40 people facing a rebuke.
The PM is spending the weekend phoning disgruntled Tories from Chequers as he prepares for a possible leadership challenge.
Whips fear that rebels will hit the threshold of 54 letters of no confidence needed to trigger a vote if the report goes against him.
Rebel MPs have warned BoJo is “toast” if the inquiry finds he knowingly misled Parliament by denying any knowledge of parties.
Ms Gray has told colleagues she will not allow civil servants to be made scapegoats for the scandal.
Those who have been interviewed are said to be “singing like canaries” and implicating political aides in a bid to save their own necks.
Mr Johnson’s chief of staff Dan Rosenfield — a high-risk scalp — has told colleagues: “We might all need to fall on our swords here.”
Yet a colleague present said: “He didn’t give the impression he would be first to leap on a sword.”
Yesterday Mr Rosenfield cancelled a regular meeting with special advisers, prompting speculation that he is in the “departure lounge”.
One civil servant in the firing line is the PM’s principal private secretary Martin Reynolds, who sent an email inviting 100 staff at No 10 for “socially distanced drinks”, urging them to “bring your own bottle”.
The investigation has found an email to him from an official warning the party would breach rules.
But a source said: “Martin is determined not to be the fall guy.”
In a crisis meeting called by Mr Rosenfield, he was bluntly told by Jane Hunt, aide to Cabinet Office Minister Steve Barclay: “I wouldn’t p*** on you if you were on fire.” Ms Gray’s inquiry team is staffed by six senior civil servants with expertise in law and human resources.
They have scoured thousands of emails from Downing Street plus texts and mobile pics. The report will include evidence from the PM’s former aide Dominic Cummings.
The inquiry has learned two of Carrie Johnson’s pals, Henry Newman and Josh Grimstone, visited the No 10 flat several times in lockdown — but the pair were at the time working in the Cabinet Office.
The inquiry is being conducted with the gusto of Ted Hastings from BBC’s cop drama Line Of Duty with an official saying: “It will be fair but forensic. This is not AC-12 but Sue is leaving no stone unturned.”
The PM’s allies want a clear-out of his “dysfunctional” private office as the price for his continued support.
They are also piling pressure on him to cut income tax, do a U-turn on a proposed 1.25 percentage point rise in National Insurance and speed up action to level up the regions.
Mr Johnson wants mayoral election mastermind Sir Lynton Crosby in his inner circle but the Aussie needs assurances of a free rein.
