Johnson may have misled Parliament over parties, say MPs
Image source,
Reuters
Boris Johnson may have misled Parliament over Partygate on four occasions, MPs investigating his conduct say.
Evidence strongly suggests breaches of coronavirus rules would have been "obvious" to Mr Johnson, the privileges committee said in an update.
The former PM was among those fined by police for breaking lockdown rules at gatherings in Downing Street.
He said there was no evidence he "knowingly" misled Parliament.
He is due to be give evidence to the MPs later this month.
Tory anger at Labour job for Partygate probe chief
On Friday, the committee published its initial report, including some previously unseen photos of Downing Street parties.
The report says the Commons may have been misled multiple times and Mr Johnson "did not correct the statements" at the "earliest opportunity", as would have been expected from an MP.
Mr Johnson had "personal knowledge" about lockdown gatherings in No 10 which he could have disclosed to MPs, the committee said.
The report found "evidence strongly suggests that breaches of guidance would have been obvious to Mr Johnson at the time he was at the gatherings".
It also said there was "evidence that those who were advising Mr Johnson about what to say to the press and in the House were themselves struggling to contend that some gatherings were within the rules".
Image source,
Cabinet Office
Image caption,
Boris Johnson celebrates his birthday - for which he received a fine - in a previously unseen image released by the committee
The committee said it will take the findings of a report by senior civil Sue Gray into account.
It emerged this week that Ms Gray has been offered a job as chief of staff to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, prompting claims from Tory MPs that she was politically biased.
Mr Johnson said in a statement that it was "surreal to discover that the committee proposes to rely on evidence culled and orchestrated" by Sue Gray.
"I leave it to others to decide how much confidence may now be placed in her inquiry and in the reports that she produced," he added.
He added:: "It is clear from this report that I have not committed any contempt of parliament."
"That is because there is no evidence in the report that I knowingly or recklessly misled parliament, or that I failed to update parliament in a timely manner."
Friday, March 3, 2023 at 12:50 pm