Oris Johnson’s political fate lies in the hands of the Privileges Committee as a panel of MPs decides if he lied parliament about party gate.
A 110-page bundle of evidence has been released ahead of his long-awaited appearance before the panel.
– What have we learned?
This is evident from the latest documents Boris Johnson was warned not to claim all coronavirus guidelines had been followed on number 10, but went ahead and denied anyway.
Martin Reynolds, who was Mr Johnson’s private secretary, questioned whether the suggestion was realistic and claimed that he (Mr Johnson) agreed to remove the mention of the directive before making the denial during the Prime Minister’s questions on December 8, 2021, anyway.
Cabinet Secretary Simon case told the inquiry that he did not give Mr Johnson assurances that the guidelines were always followed.
Mr Case also said he had not communicated that parties were not being held in Downing Street, and that he was unaware of others telling the then Prime Minister that.
Jack Doyle, who was Johnson’s chief of communications when the Partygate story came out, said he “believed no rules were being broken”.
But when asked if he had told Mr Johnson that “Covid guidelines” were being followed at all times, Mr Doyle said: “No.”
– What did Mr. Johnson say?
Mr Johnson told MPs on December 1 that “all guidelines were fully followed in No 10” and on December 8 that “guidelines were followed and rules followed at all times”.
In his written evidence, he said he wanted to reiterate on December 1 the rule already given to the press that “Covid rules were followed at all times”, but it was his “honest and reasonable belief” that all guidelines were also followed . .
But he accepted that it “misled the House”, although at the time it was “the truth as far as I knew it”.
On December 8, Mr Johnson said he still “fairly and reasonably believed” that the rules and guidelines had been followed.
– Are there any other revelations in the published evidence?
Mr Reynolds said the wording of an email he sent inviting No 10 staff to “socially distanced drinks” at a “bring your own booze” event in the Downing Street garden was “totally inappropriate”.
The senior official said he did not prepare the invitation for the May 20, 2020 event, but he did sign it.
“In hindsight, the language used was totally inappropriate and gave a misleading impression of the nature of the event,” he said, stressing that it was “not a party in the normal sense of the word.”
– What is the Privileges Committee?
It is a Commons committee tasked by MPs with conducting the parliamentary inquiry into whether Mr Johnson lied about the partygate spat.
The committee, a seven-member cross-party body with a Labor chairman but a Tory majority, is examining evidence from at least four occasions where Mr Johnson may have misled MPs with his assurances to the House of Commons that lockdown rules were being followed.
The committee will publish its findings on whether Mr Johnson has contemptuous Parliament and may make a recommendation on possible penalties. But the final decision rests with the full House of Commons.
– Who is the chairman?
Labor grandfather Harriet Harman chairs the Privileges Committee. She has been in Parliament since 1982 and is the longest-serving female MP and former minister.
– What about other members?
Other members include Tories Sir Bernard Jenkin, Sir Charles Walker, Andy Carter and Alberto Costa, Yvonne Fovargue of Labor and Allan Dorans of the SNP.
– What will Boris Johnson be asked when he shows up for his Wednesday afternoon showdown?
The committee has made it clear that the aim of the inquiry is to find out whether Mr Johnson has misled Parliament, rather than combing through the various details of the partygate uproar.
The committee has said: “The evidence strongly suggests that the breach of guidelines would have been obvious to Mr. Johnson at the time he was at the meetings.”
– What will his defense be?
Johnson has always protested his innocence and rejected any suggestion that he “knowingly or recklessly misled Parliament”.
He laid out his core defense in a 52-page dossier, emphasizing that he trusted key aides’ assurances and saying that “hindsight is a wonderful thing”.
It’s a defense that references No. 10’s “cramped” workplace, as well as its own belief that no guidelines or rules were broken at any meeting.
Mr Johnson placed great value on both the assurances he had received as Prime Minister and the fact that no one in the area had raised his own concerns, while also paying close attention to the fact that there is no evidence that he ever received any warnings about violating guidelines.
Elsewhere, he also objects to the commission and fairness of the committee process.
– What is the position of the government?
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who does not intend to follow the procedure, has said he will not try to influence MPs on the committee.
He is expected to grant a free vote in the House of Commons on any sanction that may be recommended.
But if Mr Johnson is found contemptuous and sanctions recommended, it is likely to give the current prime minister a headache.
What could the sanctions be?
If the committee finds contempt, it will recommend a sentence which must then be approved by the House of Commons as a whole.
Sanctions can range from a simple apology to an order to suspend Mr Johnson from parliament.
Can Mr Johnson be forced out of Parliament?
Any suspension of 10 sitting days or more could lead to a tough recall by election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat.
If 10% of eligible registered voters in the constituency sign a recall, a by-election will be held.
Mr Johnson would stand for re-election, but in 2019 he had a majority of 7,210 over Labor and the opposition would like to claim a high-profile scalp.