TEHRAN- The former British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has led the chorus of outrage directed at her successor  Boris Johnson.

The criticism by members of parliament follows the long-awaited release by a senior civil servant, Sue Gray, of a report probing over a dozen events in which the PM and his inner circle broke the Covid lockdown laws that they themselves introduced for the British public; who were forced to either observe the rules or face punishment.

The outrage reflects the wider public anger which stems from the fact that during a time when tens of thousands of people were dying, their loved ones were prevented from holding their hands to bid them farewell.

When tens of thousands of people were dying, their loved ones were prevented from attending the funeral and burial procession.

When thousands of elderly pensioners were on the verge of death at care homes, their loved ones were prevented from attending to them.

How many people died alone because of the government’s covid lockdown rules?

How many people were prevented from seeing their loved ones get married; not being there on the big day because of the government’s covid lockdown rules?

How many women gave birth without the presence of their closest dearest ones because of the government’s covid lockdown rules?

How many people spent months indoors, at home, not allowed to meet with members of another very close family household?

The public followed the government’s rules while the government that set the rules were partying not once or twice but on at least a dozen occasions.

The public anger is that there is one rule for a small number of the British elite and another for ordinary British people.

Sue Gray’s report can be described as interim. She did not publish the full probe, rather only 12 pages and it will not settle the saga. The met will handle that.

The report identified many issues but also left many questions unanswered, including whether Johnson had misled Parliament by denying parties took place and saying all Covid rules were followed.

As Gray put it herself "It is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report". Instead, the Metropolitan Police is taking over the investigation looking into a dozen events over eight different dates.

But even the preliminary report published is damaging for the Prime Minister. Gray listed 16 gatherings on 12 dates in 2020-21 that she had examined for evidence of rule-breaking, of which 12 are being investigated by police.

The met police have been handed more than 300 photos and more than 500 pieces of paper evidence. And the Prime Minister will be the main focus of that probe.

Sue Gray does attack the gatherings that are "difficult to justify" and the “failure of leadership”, and by that she means the PM as there is only one leader.

Four of those events being looked at by the Met Police were reportedly attended by the prime minister himself. One of those events (which he denies took place) is an alleged party in his private Downing Street flat.

The fact that Sue Gray’s investigation and the police probe have reached the door of the No 10 flat could be particularly serious.

Gray says evidence of other gatherings won't be shared with PM yet. She notes “the information gathered will be released until such time as it may be required further”.

“I will not be circulating the information internally within government”.

Analysts say Gray is saying she has more information but isn’t going to share it with the PM yet.

Gray adds “unfortunately, this necessarily means that it is not possible at present to provide a meaningful report”.

Observers have said that Gray is essentially telling the public, I have lots of things you might want to know but I can’t tell you today.

The report said “a number of these gatherings should not have been allowed to take place... these events which must be addressed immediately across government. This does not need to wait for the police investigations to be concluded."

Analysts say this is Gray’s first challenge to the Prime Minister to take action in parliament and change course. Essentially throwing the ball in Johnson’s hands.

Johnson told MPs in Parliament "I want to say sorry and I'm sorry for the things we simply didn't get right and also sorry for the way this matter has been handled”.

That did little to stem the criticism, even from his own party during a public parliamentary session.

Former Prime Minister, now backbench Tory member of Parliament, Theresa May, says the report demonstrates that Number 10 Downing Street "was not observing the regulations they had imposed on members of the public".

May, her tone rising in anger as she spoke, lashed out saying this means her successor "had not read the rules or didn't understand what they meant and others around him, or they didn't think the rules applied to Number 10".

The main opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer told MPs “by routinely breaking the rules he set, the Prime Minister took us all for fools, he held people's sacrifice in contempt, he showed himself unfit for office”.

Starmer says “there can be no doubt that the prime minister himself is now subject to criminal investigation”. He says Johnson is "debasing the office" of prime minister and has "got to go",  describing the partial version of the report as "damning as it could be".

Starmer also says “his desperate denials since he was exposed have only made matters worse. Rather than come clean, every step of the way he's insulted the public's intelligence”.

He also insisted that "the prime minister must keep his promise to publish Sue Gray's report in full when it is available, but it is already clear what the report disclosed is the most damning conclusion possible."

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner says the findings of Gray's initial report is "sickening". She says that Johnson has "lost the confidence of the British public" and should resign.

The opposition Liberal Democrats party leader Ed Davey called on Conservative MPs to do their "patriotic duty" and get rid of Johnson. "He must go before he does our country any more harm," he said.

Ian Blackford, the Scottish National Party’s leader in Westminster, says Johnson's position was "completely untenable".

He says "the prime minister is guilty of breaking lockdown rules and misleading parliament. He must resign or be removed from office”.

Blackford accused the PM of lying to the Commons, something that led to his removal from the legislature by the Speaker and he was seen being escorted out by security.

This is while MP Aaron Bell (among many to express their frustration) gave an emotionally charged speech accusing Johnson of making him look like a fool after he stuck to the rules during his grandmother’s funeral.

MPs say the most damaging allegation was a party held on 13 November 2020 (the same evening the Prime Minister’s former top aide Dominic Cummings quit) in Johnson‘s own flat.

There had been reports of loud music and partying heard in the press office below and the alleged gathering is now under police investigation.

The prime minister refused to confirm or deny to parliament whether he was present in the flat that evening.

Previously he had denied that any party even took place on that date.

So the jury is still out until the Metropolitan Police investigation is in.

But there is no doubt that the Conservatives are now a deeply-divided party, split over the future of their leader.

One MP said Johnson’s determination to keep fighting to stay means removing him from office would be “extremely painful” and cause huge damage to the party.

Another says its clear Tory MPs at some point would need to “get the screwdrivers out to unscrew his hands off the doors of Downing Street”.