UK Lawmakers to Publish Report on Boris Johnson and ‘Partygate’

49

After months of anticipation, UK lawmakers are set to release a report on Thursday regarding whether former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intentionally misled Parliament about COVID lockdown-defying parties held at his Downing Street office.

The Privileges Committee of Parliament has spent 14 months investigating Johnson’s actions during the “partygate” scandal, which involved a series of alcohol-filled gatherings in his office that violated the strict COVID-19 restrictions imposed by his government.

In response to being informed in advance about the committee’s decision to sanction him, Johnson, 58, resigned as a lawmaker on Friday. He labeled the seven-member committee, which consisted of both ruling Conservative and opposition party members, a “kangaroo court” and accused his political opponents of driving him out through a “witch hunt.”

On the eve of the report’s publication, Johnson also called for the resignation of the panel’s most senior Conservative member, Bernard Jenkin, over allegations of Jenkin himself breaking pandemic restrictions.

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, dismissed Johnson’s move as a “typical distraction tactic” that does not change the fact that he broke the law and lied about it.

If found guilty of lying and contempt of Parliament, Johnson would have faced suspension from the House of Commons. A suspension of 10 days or more would have allowed Johnson’s constituents in his suburban London seat to petition for his removal and elect a new representative.

By resigning from Parliament, Johnson has made himself immune to suspension, and a special election will be held next month to fill his seat in Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Last year, Johnson and his wife, Carrie, were fined by the Metropolitan Police for violating COVID regulations during a birthday party at their Downing Street residence and office in June 2020.

Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was also among numerous individuals who received fixed-penalty notices for a series of office parties and “wine time Fridays” in 2020 and 2021 at government buildings.

The revelations of these alcohol-fueled gatherings, which occurred while millions of people were prohibited from seeing their loved ones or attending family funerals, angered many Britons and added to a series of ethics scandals that led to Johnson’s downfall. He resigned as prime minister last summer following a mass exodus of government officials who protested against his leadership.

Johnson has admitted to misleading lawmakers by assuring them that no rules were violated, but he maintains that he did not do so intentionally.

During a hearing in March, he stated that he “honestly believed” the five gatherings he attended, including a farewell for a staff member and his own surprise birthday party, were “lawful work gatherings” aimed at boosting morale among overworked employees dealing with a deadly pandemic. He also claimed that “trusted advisors” reassured him that neither the legally binding rules nor the government’s coronavirus guidelines had been violated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about partygate scandal

More about partygate scandal

• BBC News: Boris Johnson resigns as MP
• The Guardian: Boris Johnson’s Downing Street parties
• CNN: Boris Johnson’s ‘partygate’ scandal
• The Telegraph: Boris Johnson faces ‘partygate’ investigation