Parliamentary commission sees indications Boris Johnson lied to MPs about Partygate

The partygate shadow come back to haunt Boris Johnson. A preliminary report by a parliamentary commission found evidence that the former prime minister lied to MPs when he declared that I was not aware to party in 10 Downing Street, in total confinement due to covid-19, they violate the sanitary restrictions that are in force at the time.

“There is evidence that the House of Commons may have been misled,” said the 24-page report published on Friday. “The evidence strongly points to a violation of the rules it would have been obvious to Johnson at the time those “illegal” meetings took place, the text added, citing messages and emails shared by various Downing Street officials. In one of them, the official would say to the then president in November 2020, when one of the controversial parties was taking place, to the then president: “This is probably the least socially distanced gathering in the country right now.».

The report comes less than 24 hours after Johnson appeared publicly again to criticize the deal Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signed with the EU to resolve the protocol dispute Brexit for Northern Ireland. And fifteen days after former prime minister appeared before the Commons Privileges Committee, which is investigating whether he actually lied to parliament when he denied that the controversial parties violated the imposed restrictionsown government to stop the coronavirus.

In the event that the commission — chaired by a Labor member, albeit with a Conservative majority — declares yes former prime minister lied could suspend or even dismiss the duties of the deputy.

Johnson quickly responded to the accusations, which he considered part of it a plan “orchestrated” by Sue Gray, an employee of the Government Office to whom he entrusted the task of investigating what happened, in order to harm him. Gray’s impartiality has been called into question after he resigned from his cabinet post this week became chief of staff labor leader, Keir Starmer.

Likewise, Johnson persisted in his thesis that he believed the meetings were legal. “There is absolutely nothing to show that any adviser or official told me that any event could go against the rules,” he said.