Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser
” height=”1536″ width=”2048″ layout=”responsive” data-hero i-amphtml-ssr class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Boris Johnson at a gathering in 10 Downing Street for the departure of a special adviser
Boris Johnson’s communications chief admitted there was a “great gaping hole” in the prime minister’s account of partygate, messages show.
He wrote last January, in relation to a June 2020 gathering: ‘I’m struggling to come up with a way this one is in the rules in my head,’ according to a report by the parliamentary inquiry into whether the then PM lied to parliament.
Mr Johnson remarked that a mid-pandemic leaving party in No 10 was “probably the most unsocially distanced gathering in the UK right now”, the written evidence reveals.
In response to a suggestion the event was described as “reasonably necessary for work purposes”, he wrote: “Not sure that one works does it. Also blows another great gaping hole in the PM’s account doesn’t it?”’
Mr Johnson could also see a notorious gathering point for Downing Street parties during lockdown from the bottom of the stairs leading up to his flat, the new report has found.
Evidence strongly suggests that breaches of coronavirus rules would have been “obvious” to Mr Johnson, it said.
Investigator had deep political motivations, claims Johnson ally Nadine Dorries
Staunch Boris Johnson ally Nadine Dorries has accused Sue Gray – whom Mr Johnson appointed as investigator – of having “deep political motivations” in writing her Partygate report.
“I don’t think her report is worthy of the paper it’s written on because obviously it’s written by someone who’s patently broken the civil service code and had deep political motivations,” the former culture secretary said.
She suggested Ms Gray could have been having conversations with both Keir Starmer and Labour while writing her report.
“It has just blown the whole thing up,” Ms Dorries told Radio 4’s The World at One.
She said there was more to be uncovered, as she cast doubt on the “validity” of Ms Gray’s report.
In her report, the senior civil servant said top officials, including Boris Johnson “must bear responsibility” for a Downing Street culture in which parties were held in defiance of lockdown rules, when staff drank so much they were sick, sang karaoke, became involved in fights and abused security and cleaning staff.
She said the public would be “dismayed” by a series of breaches of Covid regulations in No 10.
Taxpayers face huge bill for Boris Johnson’s Partygate legal fees
This is what Angela Rayner was referring to in saying “Rishi Sunak must stop propping up this disgraced PM and his legal defence fund”.
Taxpayers are footing a bill of at least £222,000 for Mr Johnson’s legal fees in the inquiry.
The Cabinet Office permanent secretary said it was “normal” for the government to pay the legal fees of former ministers when an inquiry related to their ministerial conduct:
Johnson’s career could be over, says Labour
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said the interim report could spell the end of Boris Johnson’s career.
She tweeted: “This partygate report is damning on Boris Johnson‘s conduct, not just in the crime but the cover-up.
“Rishi Sunak must stop propping up this disgraced PM and his legal defence fund – and make clear that if he is found to have repeatedly misled Parliament his career is over.”
Tory fury as Partygate investigator Sue Gray given job with Keir Starmer
The new Partygate report was revealed as Conservatives were reeling from news that Sue Gray, the civil servant who investigated the scandal, is to be appointed chief of staff to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – a move they said showed her inquiry was “a stitch-up”:
Key lines from latest Partygate report
Boris Johnson could also see a notorious gathering point for Downing Street parties during lockdown from the bottom of the stairs leading up to his flat, the new report reveals.
MPs investigating whether the former prime minister lied to parliament have released the document:
Top Johnson aide admitted ‘great gaping hole’ in PM’s account
Boris Johnson’s communications chief admitted there was a “great gaping hole” in the prime minister’s account of partygate, messages show.
The aide wrote last January, in relation to a June 2020 gathering: “I’m struggling to come up with a way this one is in the rules in my head”, the new report by the parliamentary inquiry into whether he lied to parliament reveals:
Welcome to our live coverage of a new report from an inquiry into whether former prime minister Boris Johnson lied to parliament over the Partygate scandal.
