Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is due to submit himself to Parliament's Privileges Committee on Wednesday for questioning over lockdown parties, was forced to resign in July after a scandal-plagued two-and-half-years in office. File Photo via Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/UPI |
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March 21 (UPI) -- A dossier of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's defense of parties in Downing Street when the country was in COVID-19 lockdowns, was published Tuesday by the parliamentary panel investigating him.
The dossier's release comes one day before he is due to appear for questioning before the Privileges Committee which is looking into so-called "Partygate" -- whether Johnson misled MPs by telling them there had been no parties during lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
In the 52-page submission to the committee which is also weighing how quickly Johnson corrected any misleading statements, he says he did not mislead parliament "intentionally or recklessly."
Johnson argues that because he was relying on guidance from trusted advisors and experts, he was acting in good faith when he told parliament there had been no parties in Downing Street.
He also states that he corrected the record at the first chance he had in May, a month after the conclusion of investigations by a senior civil servant and London's Metropolitan Police.
However, if the inquiry concludes that any misleading statement made by Johnson was intentional or reckless, he faces being suspended or expelled from Parliament for being contempt of the House of Commons.
Expulsion would force a by-election in Johnson's Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, a seat he has held since 2015. The House has the final say over whether any sanction is enforced.
April's damning report found Johnson and other government officials had violated COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 by holding social gatherings.
The 60-page report compiled by civil servant Sue Gray condemned Johnson and the others for throwing the parties while the restrictions barred the rest of the country from such social gatherings.
In April, Johnson, his wife Carrie Johnson and then-Chancellor Rishi Sunak were fined by police for attending or organizing a party in the Cabinet Room of Downing Street to celebrate the prime minister's birthday in June 2020.
That followed the Metropolitan Police's own "partygate" investigation of COVID-19 lockdown violations by government officials which said no additional fines would be issued to Johnson or his wife.
However, police did recommend 126 fines for 83 people for parties held at No. 10 Downing Street and Whitehall that violated the country's COVID-19 lockdown rules in 2020.
