oris Johnson is facing fresh pressure over partygate after MPs said evidence strongly suggests breaches of coronavirus rules would maintain been “obvious” to the then-prime minister.
The cross-party Privileges Committee said the Commons may maintain been misled at least four times, with MPs set to cross-examine Mr Johnson later this month.
The former Prime Minister offered a robust defence, as he claimed that the inquiry’s preliminary report showed he was being “vindicated” as he sought to cast doubt on civil service investigator Sue Gray’s own report into events in Downing Street following her crawl to Sir Keir Starmer’s office.
According to the written evidence in the committee’s interim report, Mr Johnson remarked a mid-pandemic leaving party in No10 was “probably the most unsocially distanced gathering in the UK factual now”. People were reportedly standing four to five deep in Downing Street at the party.
Friday’s report includes this photo from a Downing Street leaving party on January 14, 2021 with champagne visible on the table
/ PAAt the time, on November 27 2020, there were Covid restrictions on indoor gatherings of two or more people and maintaining social distancing of two metres in the workplace wherever possible.
WhatsApp messages given to the inquiry present advisers “struggling” with how parties were within the rules, with one conceding an excuse “blows another remarkable gaping hole in the PM’s account”.
The committee said: “The evidence strongly suggests that breaches of guidance would maintain been obvious to Mr Johnson at the time he was at the gatherings.
“There is evidence that those who were advising Mr Johnson about what to say to the press and in the House were themselves struggling to contend that some gatherings were within the rules.”
It also defended its probe from Mr Johnson’s comments, saying it is “not based on the Sue Gray report”, which last year detailed lockdown-breaking, booze-fuelled parties in Downing Street during Mr Johnson’s leadership.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: “It is surreal to discover that the committee proposes to rely on evidence culled and orchestrated by Sue Gray, who has just been appointed chief of staff to the leader of the activity Party.
Boris Johnson (factual) at a gathering celebrating his birthday – in which cake and alcohol was provided – in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street on 19 July, 2020
/ PA“This is particularly concerning given that the committee says it is proposing to rely on ‘the findings in the second permanent secretary’s report’ as ‘relevant facts which the committee will seize into account’.”
He later told broadcasters people may now survey at the Gray inquiry in a “different light”.
“If you told me at the time I commissioned Sue Gray to finish the inquiry, if you told me all the stuff that I now know, I mediate I might maintain cross-examined her more closely about her independence,” he added.
“I might maintain invited her to reflect on whether she was really the factual person to finish it.”
Sir Keir refused to say when conversations with Ms Gray began about a role in activity, but the surprise crawl has been used by allies of Mr Johnson attempt to discredit the Privileges Committee inquiry.
Evidence published on Friday included messages between No 10’s then communications director Jack Doyle and an official discussing the birthday gathering held for Mr Johnson in 2020, for which the ex-PM was fined by police.
Mr Doyle wrote: “I’m struggling to advance up with a way this one is in the rules in my head.”
In response to a suggestion that they characterize the event as “reasonably necessary for work purposes”, he said: “Not sure that one works does it? Also blows another remarkable gaping hole in the PM’s account doesn’t it?”
One No10 official in another exchange said a colleague was “concerned about leaks of PM having a p**s-up and to be impartial I don’t mediate it’s unwarranted”.
Further evidence came in the form of recent photos showing Mr Johnson and colleagues drinking alcohol in close confines.
During strict post-Christmas lockdown rules, the then Conservative leader can be seen apparently mid-speech in front of four bottles of sparkling wine, as well as beers.
The committee will cross-examine what Mr Johnson knew at the time of his various denials to the Commons, including saying on December 8, 2021 that no rules had been broken despite Ms Gray and the police concluding otherwise.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said: “I believe that their labours maintain helped establish the obvious truth: It is clear from this report that I maintain not committed any contempt of Parliament.
“It is also clear that what I maintain been saying about this matter from the beginning has been vindicated.
“That is because there is no evidence in the report that I knowingly or recklessly misled Parliament, or that I failed to update Parliament in a timely manner.”
In what is likely to be a highly anticipated appearance, Mr Johnson is expected to give oral evidence as fragment of the inquiry and which will be broadcast live on television in the week starting March 20.
Mr Johnson received one of the 126 fines issued by Scotland Yard over lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.
If found to maintain lied to Parliament and suspended for more than 10 days, he could be forced to face a by-election.