Boris allies claim Partygate probe ‘does not contain any new bombshells that could torpedo his leadership bid’ as ex-PM faces inquiry over whether he lied to MPs about lockdown-busting gatherings
- Boris Johnson is considering a return to No 10 following Liz Truss’s resignation
- The investigation into Partygate scandal could see him expelled from Parliament
- However, insiders said all the information about the scandal was already public
The Partygate investigation does not have any new bombshell information which could see Boris Johnson kicked out of Parliament, insiders have claimed.
The former Prime Minister is looking to make a return to Downing Street following Liz Truss’s resignation this week.
However, it has been suggested the ongoing Parliamentary investigation into the Partygate scandal could see Mr Johnson indicted and perhaps even expelled from Parliament.
A committee led by Labour MP Harriet Harman will hear evidence on rule-breaking during the Covid-19 lockdown next month.
Mr Johnson is expected to be questioned by the Privileges Committee during its investigation.
If he is found to have misled Parliament, he could be kicked out and face a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
Boris Johnson is weighing up a return to Downing Street after Liz Truss’s resignation
Allies of Boris Johnson have urged Tory MPs to cancel Parliament’s Partygate probe into whether Mr Johnson misled MPs if he returns as Prime Minister
The decision could see Mr Johnson removed as Prime Minister if he does return to Downing Street at the end of the Conservative leadership contest this week.
However, Westminster insiders have said all the information available to the committee has already been made public by the Sue Gray report earlier this year, The Sun reported.
A source said: ‘It’s wrong to suggest there is new damning evidence.
‘There has been no additional material. Pictures of the events are already in the public domain.’
Meanwhile, allies of Mr Johnson urged Tory MPs to cancel the Partygate probe into his conduct if he does return as Prime Minister.
A former minister close to Mr Johnson said the new government would have to table a Commons motion to halt the ‘malicious’ inquiry by MPs that could see him suspended from Parliament.
The Commons privileges committee is investigating whether Mr Johnson misled MPs when he initially said no parties took place in No 10 in breach of lockdown rules. The inquiry, led by Labour’s former deputy leader Harriet Harman, has been branded a ‘witch hunt’ by critics, who believe the former PM’s enemies are trying to end his political career.
An ally of the PM said that if Tory MPs were serious about him becoming prime minister again, they would have to act to end the inquiry by backing a Commons motion to cancel it.
‘If Boris does return then one of the first things we will need to do is move a motion to knock down this politically motivated stunt,’ the source said. ‘Too many Tory MPs have been played by Labour into backing this inquiry. The whole thing is totally unconstitutional and has to end now.’
Commons privileges committee investigates whether Boris Johnson misled MPs
What is the inquiry?
The Commons privileges committee is investigating whether Boris Johnson deliberately misled Parliament about Downing Street parties during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the third probe into Mr Johnson and the events that took place in Whitehall when Covid laws banned social gatherings, following the inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray and Scotland Yard’s criminal case.
What do critics say?
Supporters of Mr Johnson have branded it a witch hunt, and even a top lawyer – Lord Pannick KC – warned that the inquiry would be declared unlawful were it not protected from challenge in the courts. But MPs on the privileges committee rejected claims that their probe was ‘unfair’ and ‘fundamentally flawed.
What are the possible sanctions?
Once the committee has delivered its findings, all MPs will vote on its recommendations. If Mr Johnson is found in contempt and suspended from the Commons for more than ten days, he could face a by-election in his marginal Uxbridge constituency.
What is the status of the inquiry?
Labour MP Harriet Harman, who is chairing the inquiry, is said to have already received damaging information from inside No 10. According to reports, there will be three weeks of hearings in November. Mr Johnson will be expected to give evidence in person in a public session.
Could Boris stop the probe?
If he becomes prime minister again, Mr Johnson could organise a Commons vote on a motion for the probe to be quashed. The threat would be eliminated if he won the vote – but not all Tories would support him.
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