Boris Johnson news – live: Ex-PM says he is ‘looking forward’ to televised Partygate hearing

Boris Johnson has said he is “very much” looking forward to his televised appearance before MPs investigating whether he knowingly misled parliament over Partygate.

In a statement ahead of Wednesday’s hearing of the privileges committee, the former prime minister said: “I look forward very much to the committee session tomorrow.

“I believe that the evidence conclusively shows that I did not knowingly or recklessly mislead Parliament. The committee has produced not a shred of evidence to show that I have.”

Mr Johnson said he accepts that he misled Parliament but said there was “no evidence” he did so intentionally, insisting his statements to the Commons regarding the Partygate scandal were in “good faith”.

He submitted his dossier of evidence to the privileges committee yesterday, while facing claims of bullying and intimidation as allies tried to discredit the probe.

In his legal argument, Mr Johnson insisted he was not warned that gatherings in Downing Street during the pandemic broke lockdown rules. He said that after learning they had, he corrected the record at the “earliest opportunity”.

Key Points

• Johnson ‘very much looking forward’ to hearing

• Boris Johnson says ‘no evidence’ he intentionally misled Commons

• No one told me parties broke rules, says ex-PM

• 70% of voters believe Boris Johnson lied over Partygate

• Another Johnson comeback attempt ‘would finish’ Tories

Editorial: Boris Johnson can get angry over Partygate – but he will get no special treatment

03:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Loyalists to the ex-PM have made disgraceful attacks on the long-established and balanced procedure to deal with serious allegations against members of the House.

Editorial: Johnson’s get angry over Partygate – but he will get no special treatment

Suella Braverman backs Met Police chief as she rejects ‘institutional racism’ label

03:00 , Emily Atkinson

Suella Braverman has rejected the “label” of institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia applied to the Metropolitan Police by a damning review.

The home secretary backed commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s stance on Baroness Casey’s report, which was triggered by the murder of Sarah Everard.

He told a press conference he accepted the “deeply troubling diagnosis” that the force contains racists, misogynists and homophobes and has systemic failings, but would not use the term “institutional”.

Our home affairs editor Lizzie Dearden has more:

Suella Braverman backs Met Police chief as she rejects ‘institutional racism’ label

Watch: Boris Johnson’s key arguments to MPs ahead of Privileges Committee appearance

02:00 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson’s ‘bombshell’ Partygate defence branded weak by Tory MPs ahead of TV grilling

01:00 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson faces a “torrid time” at Wednesday’s showdown grilling on whether he lied over Partygate, according to Conservatives MPs who branded his defence dossier weak and predicted that he would be found guilty and punished.

The former prime minister lashed out at the committee of MPs investigating whether he lied to parliament – accusing the cross-party group of “absurd, illogical and partisan” claims in his 52-page dossier.

Battling to save his career, Mr Johnson admitted that he had misled parliament about Covid rule-breaking – but insisted his denials were made “in good faith” based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence branded weak by Tory MPs

Sean O’Grady: Who is winning the Scottish leadership race? Not the SNP

00:00 , Emily Atkinson

It seems much longer than five weeks since Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to resign as first minister of Scotland and as leader of the Scottish National Party, writes Sean O’Grady. Since her decision to depart front-line politics, and from a position of relative political strength and stability, the SNP has gone into apparent meltdown. Whoever gets to succeed Sturgeon will have to rebuild the party and the cause of independence as well as govern the country.

Who is winning the Scottish leadership race? Not the SNP

Watch: Putin hits out at British plans to supply Ukraine with weapons containing nuclear components

Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:00 , Emily Atkinson

Tom Peck: The hardline Brexiteers of the ERG have no choice but to live in their own fantasyland

Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:00 , Emily Atkinson

What made life tough was the occasional re-emergence of Mark Francois, given that his stupidity is so profound it comes with its own magnetic field, writes Tom Peck.

His role, since 2016, has been to turn up not when something stupid has happened, but when something sensible has happened, and to then say no to it, on account of it not being stupid enough for him.

The Brexiteers of the ERG have no choice but to live in fantasyland | Tom Peck

Rishi Sunak declines invitation to discuss NI protocol negotiations

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:30 , Emily Atkinson

European Scrutiny Committee chair Sir William Cash has said prime minister Rishi Sunak declined an invitation to speak to the committee around the government’s negotiations around the Northern Ireland Protocol.

He complained it had “proven exceptionally difficult” to secure a minister to appear before the committee, as Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris appeared to answer questions.

Sir William added: “We were promised engagement but the government has failed to deliver anything meaningful ... it appears clear to us that the government set its course weeks if not months ago and has done all it can to avoid being diverted from it.

“The Windsor Framework is a significant development in the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the EU, it’s legal complexity speaks for us and there is a vast amount of paperwork, and its provisions will impact the people and businesses of Northern Ireland and Great Britain.”

We need to do more on the generators of growth, says former Tory minister

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:00 , Emily Atkinson

A Tory former cabinet minister has said “we need to do more on the generators of growth”.

Simon Clarke, who served as communities secretary under Liz Truss and recently set up the Conservative Growth Group, told the Commons there were many welcomed measures in the Budget.

However, he noted “there were of course some aspects which I wish had been different”, adding: “I’ve made no secret of my deep concern about the decisions surrounding the future of our corporation tax increases. I think we’ve seen the consequences already with the decision of AstraZeneca to choose the Republic of Ireland over the UK for their next investment.

“I do welcome the offsetting benefits of the full expensing which was announced by the chancellor. If that is to work, it is vital that is a permanent decision rather than temporary relief otherwise it will have a distorting effect on business investment.”

He went on: “I also believe and this will not surprise members across the House that we need to do more on the generators of growth more generally. I would particularly point out the importance of housing...We know that in the end the only sustainable way to improve our economic activity in this space but also the social justice of our housing debate is to build more homes, addressing the challenges of both nimbyism, but also nutrient neutrality.”

Watch: Boris Johnson seen for first time since Partygate defence dossier published

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:30 , Emily Atkinson

Important to have Stormont brake in place ‘sooner rather than later’, says NI secretary

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Asked whether a vote in the House of Commons on Wednesday is being regarded as a “meaningful vote” on the whole Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said it is a vote on the statutory instrument that activates the Stormont brake.

He told the European Scrutiny Committee that is important to have the Stormont brake in place “sooner rather than later because there has been a lot of speculation as to what it does and what it can’t do”.

“This codifies it in black and white so people can actually see it for itself as a very important part of that democratic check,” he said.

Johnson ‘very much looking forward’ to hearing

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson has said he is “very much” looking forward to his appearance before MPs investigating whether he knowingly misled Parliament over Partygate.

In a statement ahead of Wednesday’s hearing of the Commons Privileges Committee, the former prime minister said: “I look forward very much to the committee session tomorrow.

“I believe that the evidence conclusively shows that I did not knowingly or recklessly mislead Parliament.

“The committee has produced not a shred of evidence to show that I have.”

Gary Lineker in pointed ‘fibs’ tweets after Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence published

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:10 , Emily Atkinson

Gary Lineker has tweeted about people who “constantly tell fibs” less than an hour after Boris Johnson’s legal defence over Partygate was published.

The former PM insisted in his written evidence to the inquiry that his denials over lockdown parties in No 10 were made “in good faith” and based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

The BBC football presenter tweeted: “When folk constantly tell fibs, it’s really difficult to know when they’re telling the truth. I imagine it’s even a challenge for themselves.”

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Gary Lineker tweets about ‘fibs’ after Boris’s Partygate defence published

No 10 rejects ERG’s criticism of Windsor Framework

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:50 , Emily Atkinson

Downing Street has rejected criticism from the European Research Group of the Stormont brake and the prime minister’s Windsor Framework deal.

The ERG called the brake “practically useless”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The brake addresses the democratic deficit and provides a clear democratic safeguard for the people of Northern Ireland.

“It goes further than the July 2021 command paper and the Bill, ends the ratchet of automatic presumption of dynamic alignment, it puts the arrangements in Northern Ireland under a new framework of democratic control. It covers all the rules that could cause issues for Northern Ireland and is a matter for the UK alone, with no role for the European Union in deciding when the brake is used or agreeing whether the rule is disapplied.

“Clearly we don’t accept that characterisation,” he said.

Watch: Key moments from Boris Johnson's Partygate 'dossier'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:30 , Emily Atkinson

No 10 refuses to be drawn over ex-PM’s dossier

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:10 , Emily Atkinson

Downing Street refused to be drawn on Boris Johnson’s claim that it “remains unclear” to him, and possibly prime minister Rishi Sunak, about why they were fined for breaching lockdown laws.

The claim came in his submission to the Privileges Committee.

The prime minister’s official spokesman referred to Mr Sunak’s statement at the time, saying: “You’ll remember the prime minister and then chancellor issued a statement at the time and I think he set out his position and views very clearly on that. I don’t have any more to add to what he said.”

The spokesman said that Mr Sunak would not be watching Mr Johnson’s appearance before the Privileges Committee on Wednesday.

Rishi Sunak says he’s ‘proud’ of economic record after being told of carer who can’t afford light bulb

Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:50 , Emily Atkinson

Rishi Sunak said he was “proud” of his economic record when questioned about a carer who cannot afford to buy a light bulb in the cost of living crisis.

In a BBC Breakfast interview on Tuesday morning, the prime minister was challenged on the impact of the crisis and was told of a carer called Nicky, forced to sit in darkness in her kitchen because she cannot afford a light bulb on her £10.50 an hour wage.

“She can’t afford a light bulb until her daughter gets paid next week,” interviewer Jon Kay told the prime minister.

Thomas Kingsley has more:

Sunak says he’s ‘proud’ of record after being told carer can’t afford light bulb

Sunak team has more damaging material on Boris, says Cummings

Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:30 , Emily Atkinson

Dominic Cummings has claimed that Rishi Sunak’s team will have access to far more damaging material in government which could “smash” Mr Johnson’s chances of returning to No 10. “Much remains unpublished,” he wrote in a new blog.

He added: “So if Sunak’s team is crashing, there’ll be people in No 10 who’ll think ‘we may be doomed but we’ll finish the trolley off’. And spads [special advisers] who’d relish it will be helped by officials who don’t want the trolley smashing around again as they prepare for Starmer.”

Windsor Framework ‘a turning point for Northern Ireland’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:10 , Emily Atkinson

Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has told the European Scrutiny Committee that his primary objective is to get the Stormont Executive and Assembly up and running.

He described the Windsor Framework as representing an “important opportunity for a turning point for Northern Ireland”.

He insists it protects the economic rights of the people in Northern Ireland, and deals with the every day issues that people and businesses in the region had faced due to the operation of the Brexit protocol.

“We have rewritten the protocol treaty and replaced it with a radical legally binding new Windsor Framework, something many said could not be done,” he told MPs.

Gove urges government to ‘empower local leaders'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:50 , Emily Atkinson

Government needs to “empower local leaders” to see sustainable growth, communities secretary Michael Gove told MPs.

Referring to Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Mr Gove said he has “signed a devolution deal, a new trailblazer deal and Mayor Burnham says that this deal marks a new era for English devolution”.

He added: “I know there will be some Conservatives who will not always necessarily want to hear praise for Mayor Burnham, but I think it’s important that we all recognise across this House, if we want to see our country operate in a way which gives us truly sustainable growth, that we need to empower local leaders.”

‘Over 168 years since a party in power had wages lower at the end of its time in office’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:30 , Emily Atkinson

It is “over 168 years” since a “party in power had wages lower at the end of its time in office”, shadow climate secretary Ed Miliband has claimed.

He said: “The Office for Budget Responsibility says we’re in the midst of the biggest fall in living standards on record, not a mention of that in (Michael Gove’s) pantomime speech...How can that be a plan that is working?”

He added: “Over 168 years this fovernment stands out for its failure to deliver on what I think all sides can agree that British people have a right to expect which is rising standards of living, and throw in the highest tax burden since the 1950s, public services which are crumbling in so many areas, debt up, it’s no wonder the British people are asking what do they have to show for 13 years of this lot.”

Raising the abolition of the pensions tax relief Lifetime Allowance, he said Labour “will be forcing a vote this evening”, adding: “So I say to members on all sides of the House, when they vote on this measure tonight, if they vote for this Budget measure, they will be voting for a tax cut of almost £250,000 for people with a £2 million pension pot. That might be the right priority for them, it’s not the right priority for us.”

Watch: Boris Johnson accepts he misled MPs but insists he spoke ‘in good faith’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 16:10 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson ‘trusted Christmas party was within the rules'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 15:50 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson said he trusted the assurances of his former director of communications Jack Doyle that a mid-pandemic Christmas party was “within the rules”.

“It is in this context that I understood that members of the press office, who were gathered for work purposes in No 10 leading the Government’s response to Covid-19, had wine and cheese and exchanged gifts at their desk.

“This did not sound to me like a breach of the rules or the guidance, let alone a party. Based on the information with which I was provided, this sounded like it was firmly within the work exception, and consistent with the guidance.

“Drinking wine or exchanging gifts at work and whilst working did not, in my view, turn an otherwise lawful workplace gathering into an unlawful one.”

Johnson claims he used word ‘party' as a shorthand

Tuesday 21 March 2023 15:30 , Emily Atkinson

In one section of his defence dossier, Boris Johnson cites WhatsApp messages, where he says he used the word “party” as a shorthand and wanted “the truth” to be published.

“Further support can be found in the contemporaneous WhatsApp messages involving me, which are in the committee’s possession.

“On 10 December 2021, I sent a message to Jack Doyle, stating: “Is there a way we could get the truth about this party out there”. I trusted the assurances that Jack Doyle and others had given me, so I wanted the “truth” as they had explained it and as I honestly believed it, to be published.

“I used “party” as shorthand because that it how it was being referred to in the media.”

Voices: ‘There are no bombshells in Boris Johnson’s angry pre-emptive strike against the Partygate committee’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 15:09 , Emily Atkinson

Johnson’s case rests heavily on the issue of intent, writes Andrew Grice. His allies hope this is what will allow the man David Cameron dubbed a “greased piglet” to wriggle free once again. However, it is far from clear the defence he set out today will pass the crucial test set by the committee – that if he misled the Commons (which even he admits), whether his actions were “inadvertent, reckless, or intentional.”

Opinion: There’s no bomshells in Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence dossier

Live: Jeremy Hunt speaks to Economic Affairs Committee week after delivering budget

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:54 , Emily Atkinson

Gary Lineker shares thinly-veiled dig at Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:43 , Emily Atkinson

Gary Lineker has shared a thinly-veiled tweet about “folk” who “constantly tell fibs” less than an hour after Boris Johnson’s legal defence over partygate was published.

It comes after Lineker, 62, was briefly suspended as host of Match Of The Day this month over his criticism of the government’s asylum policy on Twitter.

The former England striker tweeted: “When folk constantly tell fibs, it’s really difficult to know when they’re telling the truth. I imagine it’s even a challenge for themselves.”

Lineker did not make it clear who he was referring to but Twitter users speculated the post was about Mr Johnson.

Boris should resign, says Covid families group

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:35 , Emily Atkinson

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said it was “obvious” that Boris Johnson deliberately misled parliament and should resign as an MP. The group tweeted: “His claim that he did so in “good faith” is sickening.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Britain’s Berlusconi strikes again. After countless lies, scandals and failures, it’s time to put an end once and for all to this Conservative soap opera.”

Dominic Cummings accused ex-PM of sowing ‘further misinformation'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:23 , Emily Atkinson

Dominic Cummings, who was once Boris Johnson’s de facto chief of staff in Downing Street, suggested the former prime minister was indulging in “further misinformation” in regards to his account about a No 10 garden party.

Mr Johnson, referring to the lockdown event on May 20 2020 in his evidence to the Privileges Committee, said: “I can categorically state that no-one at the time expressed to me any concerns about whether the event complied with the rules or guidance.”

Mr Cummings, writing on his Substack blog, said: “The Times reports that ‘Boris Johnson rejects a claim by Dominic Cummings that the No 10 garden party was against the rules’.

“This is not just obviously false, it’s further misinformation from him.

“Officials were fined therefore the cops concluded it was against the rules, as (Lee) Cain and I warned that morning, and which is referred to in emails given to Sue Gray.

“My opinion is irrelevant to whether it was / not against the rules.”

Mr Cummings said on the morning of the so-called “BYOB event” it had been a “particularly chaotic day” as he and the prime minister had been “arguing furiously” over the future of former cabinet secretary Lord Sedwill.

He quoted Mr Johnson as saying: “He may be a bit useless but he’s my loyal Labrador - I don’t want you replacing him with someone who does what you want!

‘Nothing reckless or unreasonable’ about trusting advisers over Christmas Party, says Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:12 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson said there was “nothing reckless or unreasonable” about relying on assurances he had received from his advisers about a Downing Street Christmas party.

“It is clear now, those assurances were wrong,” the former prime minister said in his evidence to the Privileges Committee.

“My knowledge of what was going on at any given time was imperfect and mostly second-hand. A prime minister cannot be expected personally to investigate matters such as these. I had to rely on, and was fully entitled to rely on, what I was told by my senior, trusted advisers.”

He also said he never received any warning that any event might break the rules, adding: “At the time, it seemed implausible to me that there could have been unlawful events at No 10 without one of my many officials making me aware of it.”

Boris Johnson was ‘genuinely shocked’ by Sue Gray’s findings

Tuesday 21 March 2023 14:01 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson said the revelations in the Sue Gray and police probes into lockdown activities in Downing Street “genuinely shocked” him, and that he would not have made misleading statements in Parliament had he known about them.

He said in his evidence to the Privileges Committee: “In hindsight, I accept that my statement to Parliament on 1 December 2021, although reasonably and honestly believed at the time, did mislead the House.

“I could not have predicted the subsequent revelations that came to light following the investigations by Sue Gray and the Metropolitan Police. Those revelations genuinely shocked me.

“If I had been aware of this information, I would obviously not have stood up in Parliament and said what I said.

“The House was misled not because I was trying to hide what I knew to be true (which would have been senseless and immediately self-defeating), but because I said what I honestly and reasonably believed at the time and I did not know what the police and Sue Gray would subsequently uncover.”

Boris Johnson: ‘Disgracefully cavalier’ schoolboy turned lockdown rule-breaker

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:49 , Emily Atkinson

As questions over whether Boris Johnson misled parliament continue to spiral, we take a look back at the former prime minister’s school record – and its startling resemblance to some of his less flattering characterisations today.

In 2019, Rory Stewart shared with an audience at the Royal Albert Hall a school report highlighting Mr Johnson’s ”disgracefully cavalier” attitude to his studies while a pupil at Eton College.

“Boris really has adopted a disgracefully cavalier attitude to his classical studies,” wrote Martin Hammond, who taught Mr Johnson classics at school and served as his housemaster.

The letter was sent on 10 April 1982 to Stanley Johnson, the prime minister’s father.

“Boris sometimes seems affronted when criticised for what amounts to a gross failure of responsibility [and surprised at the same time that he was not appointed Captain of the School...],” Mr Hammond wrote.

“I think he honestly believes that it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation which binds everyone else.”

A second letter, sent by Mr Hammond in July 1982, suggested matters did not improve.

“Boris is pretty impressive when success can be achieved by pure intelligence unaccompanied by hard work,” he said.

“[But] he doesn’t have the instincts of a real scholar, and tends to ‘sell himself short’.

“He is, in fact, pretty idle about it all ... Boris has something of a tendency to assume that success and honours will drop into his lap: not so, he must work for them.”

From cake to Cummings: Key points from Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:39 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson has accepted that he misled MPs but insisted his Partygate denials were made “in good faith” based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

The former prime minister insisted in his written evidence to the Privileges Committee inquiry that he “did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House”.

His 52-page defence dossier was published on Tuesday, a day before he faces a live grilling by the cross-party group of MPs in a hearing that could decide his political fate.

Thomas Kingsley runs through all the key findings from the report:

From cake to Cummings: Key points from Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence

Boris has given no new evidence, says privileges committee

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:31 , Adam Forrest

Following the release of Mr Johnson’s written evidence, the privileges committee claimed it “contains no new documentary evidence”.

Rejecting claims from Johnson and his allies of bias and “partisan” claims, the committee said it has followed the advice of its legal adviser Sir Ernest Ryder.

“The committee remains confident in the fairness of its processes and in its compliance at all times with the rules and practice of the House of Commons.”

Boris ‘doesn’t recall’ making unsocially distanced joke at party

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:20 , Adam Forrest

Boris Johnson said he did not recall saying that a 27 November leaving party was “probably the most unsocially distanced gathering in the UK right now”, as noted in written evidence in the committee report.

He claimed it “seems unlikely”, adding: “But I might well have made observations in speeches about social distancing, and whether it was being perfectly observed. That does not mean that I thought the guidance was contravened.”

Leaving parties were my ‘duty’, says Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:12 , Liam James

Boris Johnson defended attending leaving parties in Downing Street, saying it was his “duty” as prime minister to toast departing colleagues.

In his evidence to the privileges committee, Mr Johnson downplayed his attendance of the rule-breaking gatherings.

He wrote: “I might raise a glass to honour a colleague, but that was it.”

“At the time I was recovering from a serious illness, I was desperately worried about the state of the country, and I was going back to my flat to continue working,” he said in his evidence to the Privileges Committee, adding that he was never at such events for more than half an hour.

“When I looked around the room, I did not think anyone was breaking any rules or guidance: on the contrary, I thought that we were all doing our job.”

It was his “duty” as the prime minister to “say a few words of thanks” to those departing, Mr Johnson said.

Brexit-backing Tories say Rishi Sunak’s new deal is ‘practically useless'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 13:00 , Liam James

A group of Brexit-backing Conservative MPs said the “Stormont Brake” in Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal was “practically useless”.

Conservative backbencher and European Research Group chair Mark Francois declined to say how members will vote on the deal, saying that the group will meet again on Wednesday to discuss the matter before the vote in the Commons.

In a statement, Mr Francois said: “The Star Chamber’s principal findings are: that EU law will still be supreme in Northern Ireland; the rights of its people under the 1800 Act of Union are not restored; the green lane is not really a green lane at all; the Stormont brake is practically useless; and the framework itself has no exit, other than through a highly complex legal process.”

Downing Street said the “Stormont Brake” was the “only avenue” to change Northern Ireland from being automatically aligned to European Union rules.

Boris Johnson lashes out at ‘absurd’ Partygate inquiry claims as he defends drinking wine at work

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:48 , Liam James

Boris Johnson lashed out at the committee of MPs investigating whether he lied over Partygate – accusing the cross-party of “absurd” and “partisan” claims against him.

The former prime minister admitted that he misled MPs about rule-breaking – but insisted his denials were made “in good faith” based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

Mr Johnson also claimed that he believed his staff drinking wine was within the rules – claiming he and other No 10 officials believed gathering to drink alcohol was necessary for “work purposes”.

Setting out his defence in a 52-page dossier ahead of Wednesday’s TV grilling, he insisted in his written evidence to the privileges committee inquiry that he “did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House”.

Adam Forrest brings you the main points from Mr Johnson’s defence:

Boris Johnson lashes out at ‘absurd’ Partygate committee claims

Don’t listen to Dominic Cummings, he doesn’t like me – Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:40 , Liam James

Boris Johnson urged the committee not to to treat Dominic Cummings as a credible witness because of his “animosity towards me”.

“It is no secret that Dominic Cummings bears an animus towards me, having publicly stated on multiple occasions that he wanted to do everything that he could to remove me ‘from power’,” Mr Johnson wrote.

“He cannot be treated as a credible witness.”–

Mr Cummings, formerly Mr Johnson’s most senior adviser and a key figure in his election as prime minister, has been severely critical of his former boss since being forced from his position over lockdown breaches.

He has nicknamed Mr Johnson “The Trolley” for what he says is the former prime minister’s chaotic approach to leadership.

Mr Johnson “obviously lied” to police over the Partygate scandal that saw him receive a Fixed Penalty Notice, Mr Cummings said.

Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence: Hot takes from Twitter

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:29 , Liam James

Jon Sopel, presenter of The News Agents, notes that Mr Johnson he only referred to gatherings in Downing Street as parties because the media had done so.

Steven Swinford from The Times pulls out a line of Mr Johnson’s account of one of the better remembered points from the Partygate, when an ally claimed the then-prime minister was “ambushed by cake” in Downing Street on his birthday.

John Crace, sketch writer for The Guardian, jokes that the former prime minister is leaning on his reputation for playing loose with the truth.

Boris Johnson says ‘old, cramped’ No 10 forced lack of social distancing

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:22 , Liam James

Boris Johnson insisted that any lack of social distancing in the “old, cramped London townhouse” of No 10 was not necessarily a breach of guidance.

“If that is genuinely the committee’s view, it is obviously wrong. Everyone at No 10 was working together around the clock to fight Covid-19.

“No 10 is an old, cramped London townhouse, with many bottlenecks, and many small rooms.

“We tried to keep our distance but we knew that proximity was sometimes unavoidable, and we knew that this was acceptable under the guidance.”

Boris Johnson accepts he misled MPs over Partygate but insists he spoke ‘in good faith’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:16 , Liam James

Boris Johnson has accepted that he misled MPs but insisted his partygate denials were made “in good faith” based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

The former prime minister insisted in his written evidence to the Privileges Committee inquiry that he “did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House”.

His 52-page defence dossier was published on Tuesday, a day before he faces a live grilling by the cross-party group of MPs in a hearing that could decide his political fate.

In his legal argument, Mr Johnson accepted that his denials turned out not to be true but said he corrected the record at the “earliest opportunity”.

Adam Forrest brings you the main points from Mr Johnson’s defence:

Boris Johnson accepts he misled MPs on Partygate but insists he spoke ‘in good faith’

Boris Johnson’s Partygate evidence ‘was delayed by typos'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:08 , Liam James

The Privileges Committee said Boris Johnson’s final written evidence was delayed because the original contained “a number of errors and typos”.

The former prime minister’s 52-page submission to the investigation into whether he knowingly misled parliament did not arrive until 8.02am today, the committee said.

It added: “Mr Johnson’s written submission contains no new documentary evidence.”

Cover-up claims were ‘illogical’, says Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 12:01 , Liam James

It was “illogical” to suggest there was a cover-up of lockdown-busting gatherings at No 10, Boris Johnson said.

The former prime minister wrote in his evidence to the Privileges Committee: “Some of those who attended the relevant events wished me ill and would denounce me if I concealed the truth from the House. Far from achieving a ‘cover-up’, I would have known that any deception on my part would lead to instant exposure.”

He added that it was “implausible” that pictures would have been taken by the official No 10 photographer if he had known the events were “obviously” against the rules.

Mr Johnson described the allegation that it was reckless of him to rely on assurances from trusted advisers as “unprecedented and absurd”.

“It was self-evidently reasonable for me to rely on assurances that I received from my advisers.”

Boris Johnson ‘wasn’t warned’ parties broke rules

Tuesday 21 March 2023 11:56 , Liam James

Boris Johnson has claimed he was not warned that parties in Downing Street during the pandemic broke lockdown restrictions set by his government.

In his 52-page defence submitted to the committee investigating whether he misled parliament over his knowledge of the parties, he wrote: “In forming my honest and reasonable belief, I also relied on what I had not been told ... I never received any warning before any event that anyone had concerns that an event might break the Rules or Guidance.

“No one advised me after any of these events that they were against the Rules or Guidance, or, more importantly, that they had been allowed to go on in such a way as to breach the Rules or Guidance.”

The former prime minister has accepted that he misled parliament but claims he did so in “good faith”.

Boris Johnson says ‘no evidence’ he intentionally misled Commons

Tuesday 21 March 2023 11:46 , Liam James

Boris Johnson said there is no evidence that his misleading of the House of Commons was intentional.

In his defence dossier submitted to the privileges committee, he writes: “I accept that the House of Commons was misled by my statements that the Rules and Guidance had been followed completely at No. 10.

“But when the statements were made, they were made in good faith and on the basis of what I honestly knew and believed at the time. I did not intentionally or recklessly mislead the House on 1 December 2021, 8 December 2021, or on any other date. I would never have dreamed of doing so.”

Boris Johnson’s Partygate evidence published

Tuesday 21 March 2023 11:42 , Liam James

Boris Johnson’s evidence to the Privileges Committee has been published.

The former prime minster says in his defence that he accepts he misled the House of Commons when he said lockdown rules had been followed in No 10 but insisted the statements were made “in good faith”.

Boris Johnson refuses to answer questions on Partygate evidence

Tuesday 21 March 2023 11:27 , Liam James

Boris Johnson declined to answer questions from the media as he left his home in London on Tuesday morning.

A dossier of the former prime minister’s defence to claims he lied to Parliament with his partygate denials is expected to be published later today, with Mr Johnson due to face a televised questioning by the cross-party Privileges Committee on Wednesday.

Boris Johnson’s Partygate defence to be published today

Tuesday 21 March 2023 10:55 , Liam James

Boris Johnson’s defence in the investigation into whether he misled Parliament over his knowledge of Downing Street parties during lockdown is set to be published today.

The Independent understands the privileges committee, which is running the probe, will share a redacted version of the former prime minister’s dossier of evidence early this afternoon.

Brexit-backing Tory group to give verdict on Sunak’s new deal

Tuesday 21 March 2023 10:49 , Liam James

A group of Brexit-backing Conservative MPs will today announce its expert panel’s legal view on the Rishi Sunak’s deal with the European Union ahead of a Commons vote.

The European Research Group (ERG) of Tory Brexiteers commissioned a so-called “star chamber” of lawyers to consider the Windsor Framework before it decides how to vote on Wednesday.

It comes a day ahead of a vote in the House of Commons on the so-called “Stormont brake” element of the accord negotiated by Rishi Sunak with the European Commission.

Reports have suggested that the view of the ERG’s legal squad, led by veteran Eurosceptic MP Sir Bill Cash, will be that the brake is unusable in practice and the deal does not go far enough.

Rishi Sunak fails to say if his daughters can trust Met Police

Tuesday 21 March 2023 10:30 , Liam James

Rishi Sunak has failed to say if he believed his own daughters could trust the Metropolitan Police following the shock report which found alarmingly widespread misogyny and racism in the force.

Asked whether he believed his daughters could trust the police in London, Mr Sunak told BBC Breakfast: “Of course we need the answer to that question to be yes.

“Clearly at the moment trust in the police has been hugely damaged by the things that we’ve discovered over the past year.”

More from Adam Forrest here:

Rishi Sunak fails to say if his daughters can trust Met Police

Rishi Sunak casts doubt on Rwanda flights start date

Tuesday 21 March 2023 10:11 , Liam James

Rishi Sunak has cast doubt on rumours that flights carrying migrants to Rwanda will begin this summer.

When it was put to him that Home Secretary Suella Braverman has suggested flights will start this summer, the Prime Minister told BBC Breakfast: “No, that’s not what she said, and what she said actually was that, when the court process has concluded, then we’ll be able to start flights as quickly as we can.

“But ultimately we have to go through the court process, policies being challenged. We won the first battle of those and we’ll continue to defend the policy.”

Boris Johnson advisers ‘did not say parties followed rules’ as his dossier set to be published

Tuesday 21 March 2023 09:49 , Liam James

Boris Johnson told parliament that Covid rules had been followed “at all times” at No 10 parties without any explicit assurance from advisors, according to a new report.

A Whitehall source told The Times that Mr Johnson had gone “off script” when he told the Commons on 8 December 2022: “The guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times.”

However, in their recent damning 20-page interim report, the privileges committee poured scorn on the fact that Mr Johnson’s key claim – that all Covid rules were followed – came from a special adviser and was not “a general assurance (that) no guidance or rules were broken”.

Adam Forrest is following developments:

Boris Johnson advisors ‘did not say no 10 parties followed rules’

Boris Johnson leaves home as Partygate defence set to be published

Tuesday 21 March 2023 09:30 , Liam James

Boris Johnson has been spotted leaving his London home after submitting his defence to the privileges committee probe into whether he misled parliament over the Partygate scandal.

Mr Johnson’s legal team finally handed a defence dossier to the committee on Monday, with his rebuttal expected to be published today after redactions are made.

Let Boris Johnson probe get on with it, says minister

Tuesday 21 March 2023 09:11 , Liam James

The committee investigating whether Boris Johnson lied to Parliament with his partygate denials should be “allowed to get on and do its work”, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has said as allies of the former prime minister make claims aimed at discrediting the process.

Asked about claims that it is a “kangaroo court”, Mr Harper told Times Radio: “The Privileges Committee was set up by the House of Commons. It was a unanimous decision of the House of Commons, not a single member of Parliament opposed setting it up.

“I think the Privileges Committee should be allowed to get on and do its work.”

Asked whether he would support any recommendations by the committee, Mr Harper said: “I think we should wait and see, they’re doing a piece of work, we should let the process play out and as I said, it’s a matter for Parliament not a matter for the government.”

Sunak won’t whip MPs on Boris Johnson punishment

Tuesday 21 March 2023 08:53 , Liam James

Rishi Sunak said he would not tell his MPs how to vote on any sanction that may be recommended by a committee trying to determine if Boris Johnson lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.

The prime minister told BBC Breakfast: “These are matters for Parliament and the House and MPs as individuals, rather than for government. So that is the general process that we will follow.

Asked whether he agreed with the portrayal of the inquiry as a witch hunt by some of Mr Johnson’s allies, Mr Sunak said: “That’s ultimately something for Boris Johnson and he’ll have the committee process to go through and that’s a matter for Parliament. That’s not what I’m focused on.”

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 08:34 , Liam James

Boris Johnson is being investigated over whether he misled parliament by repeatedly denying lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.

The investigation into the former prime minister was launched by the privileges committee 11 months ago and earlier this month it published its initial findings, saying the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

Here is everything you need to know about the investigation:

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Borrowing hits record high with energy bills support

Tuesday 21 March 2023 08:15 , Liam James

The soaring cost of energy bills support sent government borrowing ballooning to a record £16.7bn last month, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that government borrowing in February jumped by £9.7bn year on year, due to around another £9.3bn in costs from energy support schemes.

It also revealed that £6.9bn of interest on debt pushed February borrowing higher, although this was down by £1.3bn; the first fall in debt interest payments since April 2021 due to easing inflation.

Public sector borrowing was the highest February figure since monthly records began in 1993 and higher than the £11.7bn expected by most economists. It takes the year-to-date total to £132.2bn.

Mr Hunt said: “Borrowing is still high because we’re determined to support households and businesses with rising prices and are spending about £1,500 per household to pay just under half of people’s energy bills this winter.

“What will bring these costs right down is lower inflation, which is why it remains one of our top priorities to halve it this year, alongside growing our economy and reducing debt.”

Tories would be finished if Boris Johnson stages comeback, says polling expert

Tuesday 21 March 2023 07:45 , Liam James

The Conservative Party would be “finished” if Boris Johnson staged a comeback, a leading Tory polling guru has said.

Lord Hayward, the Tory polling guru, warned Johnson and his allies it would be an “utter joke” for him to try and return to office.

“The clear indication is he is a serious negative for most people,” he said. “People have moved away from Boris in numbers.”

Allies of Mr Johnson have repeatedly touted his return to office, with the former prime minister coming close to facing Rishi Sunak in the race to replace Liz Truss last Autumn.

But Lord Hayward said: “The electorate, having had two different prime ministerial changes last year, there is no credibility whatsoever you would have another one and not say the Tory party is finished.

“It would be an utter joke,” he said. “The electorate would not accept another change.”

Tory polling guru says party ‘finished’ if Boris Johnson stages comeback

70% of voters say Boris misled parliament over Partygate

Tuesday 21 March 2023 07:30 , Liam James

Seven in ten voters (70 per cent) say Boris Johnson misled parliament over Partygate, according to a new Savanta ComRes poll.

Two in five (40 per cent) say he “definitely” misled MPs and three in ten (30 per cent) say he “probably” did. A majority (60 per cent) of 2019 Tory voters believe he misled the House.

While one-third (30 per cent) of the public say that the former PM should resign as an MP if he is found to have lied, although a greater proportion (37 per cent) say he should resign as an MP before the committee reports.

“A renewed airing of the dirty Conservative laundry that is Partygate has the potential to undo the green shoots of recovery in the polls Sunak has presided over,” said Savanta director Chris Hopkins.

ICYMI | Boris Johnson says he doesn’t understand why he was fined for Partygate

Tuesday 21 March 2023 07:00 , Emily Atkinson

Voices: Boris Johnson is using every element of the Trump playbook to undermine the Partygate committee

Tuesday 21 March 2023 06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Like the former president of the United States of America, our ex-PM seeks to create a myth that there is some sort of vast conspiracy against him (and the people), Sean O'Grady writes:

Partygate: How Johnson is borrowing straight from the Trump playbook

ICYMI: Boris Johnson urged to ‘tell the truth’ on Partygate, as two-thirds of voters demand exit as MP if he lied

Tuesday 21 March 2023 06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Boris Johnson has been urged to “tell the truth” and “be serious for once” at this week’s Partygate grilling, as Tory MPs fear the televised hearing risks reigniting Tory psychodrama after a good few weeks for Rishi Sunak.

The former Tory PM is fighting to save his career as he hunkers down with his legal team to prepare for Wednesday’s four-hour showdown on whether he lied to parliament about his knowledge of rule-breaking parties during Covid.

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Politics explained: Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

Tuesday 21 March 2023 05:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is addicted to getting himself into trouble. The former Tory leader has made a strange habit of tripping up and falling into avoidable scandals throughout his political career.

Adam Forrest has more:

Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

The week that could decide Boris Johnson’s fate as an MP

Tuesday 21 March 2023 05:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Boris Johnson and the Partygate scandal are back in the headlines this week as a committee of MPs rules on whether or not the former prime minister essentially lied to parliament when he said Covid rules were followed in Downing Street during lockdown.

The cross-party privileges committee has already said, in an interim report, that there is evidence showing that rule breaches would have been “obvious” to Mr Johnson, who was forced to resign last year partly due to the affair.

If the committee found that Mr Johnson did indeed knowingly mislead MPs, and was therefore in contempt of parliament, this would set in chain a series of events that could potentially bring an end to the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP’s political career.

MPs could hand Mr Johnson a suspension if he is found guilty. A suspension of more than 10 days would give Mr Johnson’s constituents the opportunity to remove him as their MP in a by-election.

Here’s how the week ahead is shaping up.

The week that could decide Boris Johnson’s fate as an MP

Watch: Boris Johnson's repeated denials and excuses

Tuesday 21 March 2023 04:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson accused of ‘bullying’ and intimidation of Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Tuesday 21 March 2023 04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Boris Johnson and his allies have been accused of trying to “bully” and intimidate an investigating committee of MPs ahead of his showdown televised grilling on Partygate on Wednesday.

Senior Conservatives joined Labour in urging the Johnson camp to stop “disgraceful” efforts to undermine the privileges committee – warning that it “borders on contempt of parliament”.

Mr Johnson’s legal team finally handed a defence dossier to the committee on Monday, but his rebuttal of allegations that he lied to parliament is not expected to be published until Tuesday after redactions are made.

Boris accused of ‘bullying’ Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Sean O’Grady: The rise, fall and rise again of Boris Johnson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 03:30 , Emily Atkinson

Did he lie to parliament and will he be forced into a by-election? Sean O’Grady looks into the ex-PM’s comeback options.

The rise, fall and rise again of Boris Johnson

Sunak gives Tories a lift but Johnson is a negative, says polls expert

Tuesday 21 March 2023 03:18 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the “partygate” scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

Read the full story here:

Sunak gives Tories a lift but Johnson is a negative, says polls expert

Boris Johnson battles for political life ahead of showdown Partygate grilling

Tuesday 21 March 2023 02:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is hunkered down with his legal team this weekend to get ready for an extraordinary televised grilling by MPs that will decide his political fate.

The former Tory prime minister is scrambling to save his career ahead as he gets ready for Wednesday’s four-hour showdown hearing on whether he lied about Partygate in parliament.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris Johnson battles for political life ahead of showdown Partygate grilling

ICYMI | Johnson’s defence for Partygate questioning is ‘robust’, says Oliver Dowden

Tuesday 21 March 2023 01:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson urged to ‘tell the truth’ on Partygate, as two-thirds of voters demand exit as MP if he lied

Tuesday 21 March 2023 00:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson has been urged to “tell the truth” and “be serious for once” at this week’s Partygate grilling, as Tory MPs fear the televised hearing risks reigniting Tory psychodrama after a good few weeks for Rishi Sunak.

The former Tory PM is fighting to save his career as he hunkers down with his legal team to prepare for Wednesday’s four-hour showdown on whether he lied to parliament about his knowledge of rule-breaking parties during Covid.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest and Whitehall editor Kate Devlin have more:

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 23:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is being investigated over whether he misled parliament by repeatedly denying lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.

The investigation into the former prime minister was launched by the privileges committee 11 months ago and earlier this month it published its initial findings, saying the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

On Monday, Mr Johnson is set to submit a 50-page defence of his behaviour to the committee, before he faces MPs in a televised hearing on Wednesday.

Here is Kate Plummer with everything you need to know about the investigation:

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Keir Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Monday 20 March 2023 22:30 , Emily Atkinson

Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of trying to “intimidate” MPs investigating him over the Partygate scandal.

The Labour leader has given his full backing to an attack on Mr Johnson’s response to the privileges committee inquiry by shadow minister Thangam Debbonaire.

The shadow Commons leader claimed the former Tory prime minister has shown “utter disdain for standards in public life” by trying to “discredit” the Commons Committee investigating him.

Thomas Kingsley and Adam Forrest have the details:

Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Latest images of Boris Johnson ahead of televised evidence session

Monday 20 March 2023 21:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson accused of ‘bullying’ and intimidation of Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Monday 20 March 2023 20:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson and his allies have been accused of trying to “bully” and intimidate an investigating committee of MPs ahead of his showdown televised grilling on Partygate on Wednesday.

Senior Conservatives joined Labour in urging the Johnson camp to stop “disgraceful” efforts to undermine the privileges committee – warning that it “borders on contempt of parliament”.

Mr Johnson’s legal team finally handed a defence dossier to the committee on Monday, but his rebuttal of allegations that he lied to parliament is not expected to be published until Tuesday after redactions are made.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris accused of ‘bullying’ Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Dominic Grieve: ‘The Partygate inquiry must not be derailed by the bluster of a known liar'

Monday 20 March 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Impartiality is vital and the MPs looking into the former prime minister will put fair process ahead of political party allegiance, writes Dominic Grieve.

Dominic Grieve: The Partygate inquiry cannot be derailed by bluster from a known liar

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Monday 20 March 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Downing Street has warned allies of Boris Johnson against interfering in the inquiry into whether he lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman defended the Privileges Committee investigation as friends of the former prime minister sought to portray it as a “witch hunt”.

Mr Johnson’s written defence to the inquiry could be published as soon as today in the form of a lengthy submission from his barrister Lord Pannick KC.

More on this story here:

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Politics explained: Why the DUP rebellion on the Brexit bill is simply bluster

Monday 20 March 2023 19:05 , Emily Atkinson

Jeffrey Donaldson and his colleagues have nothing to lose from their opposition to Rishi Sunak’s Protocol replacement, writes Sean O’Grady.

Parts of Conservative party 'delusional' about Boris Johnson, Dominic Grieve says

Monday 20 March 2023 18:40 , Emily Atkinson

Politics explained: Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

Monday 20 March 2023 18:15 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is addicted to getting himself into trouble. The former Tory leader has made a strange habit of tripping up and falling into avoidable scandals throughout his political career.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more

Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

Privileges Committee confirms evidence handed over by Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 17:50 , Emily Atkinson

The Privileges Committee has confirmed it has received Boris Johnson‘s written evidence and committed to publishing it “as soon as is practicably possible”.

A spokesman for the cross-party group of MPs said: “The Committee of Privileges can confirm it received written evidence from Boris Johnson MP at 2.32pm on Monday.

“The committee will need to review what has been submitted in the interests of making appropriate redactions to protect the identity of some witnesses.

“The committee intends to publish this as soon as is practicably possible. The material will be published on the committee website.”

Boris Johnson‘s written defence 'to be published on Tuesday’

Monday 20 March 2023 17:25 , Emily Atkinson

The Privileges Committee is highly unlikely to publish Boris Johnson‘s written defence today, as clerks and lawyers are still combing through the dossier, the PA news agency understands.

The dossier is expected to be published on Tuesday.

Boris Johnson remains a ‘serious negative’ for most voters, says elections expert

Monday 20 March 2023 17:02 , Emily Atkinson

Prime minister Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the “partygate” scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

However Lord Hayward suggested that would not go down well with voters.

“He is a serious negative for most people,” he said. “People have moved away from Boris in numbers. Boris‘s polling is far worse than is the case for Rishi.”

In contrast, Lord Hayward said that recent council by-election results suggested something of an upturn in the Tories’ fortunes under Mr Sunak.

While he said he still expected the Conservatives would lose seats in May, he would not expect the losses to be as great as if the elections had been held a few weeks ago.

Nigel Farage claims Brexit ‘still not completed’ despite Sunak deal

Monday 20 March 2023 16:35 , Emily Atkinson

Nigel Farage has lashed out at Rishi Sunak’s Northern Ireland Protocol deal with the EU and claimed Brexit has still “not been completed”.

The honorary president of Reform UK party complained that Brussels regulations had “not been axed” from British statue books despite Tory pledges.

Mr Farage also claimed the UK’s borders “are as open as they have literally ever been” despite promises to “take back control” at the Brexit referendum.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Nigel Farage claims Brexit ‘still not completed’ despite Sunak deal

Johnson remains ‘serious negative’ for most voters, says polling expert

Monday 20 March 2023 16:14 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the Partygate scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

Opinion | Johnson is using every element of the Trump playbook to undermine the Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 15:33 , Andy Gregory

In his new column, our associate editor Sean O’Grady takes a look at the “Trumpian” elements of Boris Johnson’s efforts to defend himself ahead of the privileges committee hearings on Wednesday.

He concludes: “Like Trump, he not to be trusted, and a menace to democracy, as we will no doubt discover once again on Wednesday. Like Trump, though, he is a slowly fading force, shrunken since the fall from power, the attempts to remain relevant and stage a comeback increasingly pathetic.

“His party want to move on. He's an embarrassment. Johnson's bluster and banter can no longer carry him through the squalls. He’s going to find his interrogation hard going, but he may be too arrogant to yet realise it. I can’t wait.”

You can read the full piece here:

Partygate: How Johnson is borrowing straight from the Trump playbook

NEW: Boris hands over his Partygate defence dossier

Monday 20 March 2023 14:52 , Andy Gregory

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris Johnson’s written defence to allegations he lied to Parliament over his Partygate denials has been handed over to the cross-party privileges committee.

The Independent understands the committee wants to publish his dossier as soon as possible, but has to run through it and redact any names it does not want in the public domain.

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Monday 20 March 2023 14:24 , Katy Clifton

Downing Street has warned allies of Boris Johnson against interfering in the inquiry into whether he lied to parliament with his Partygate denials.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman defended the Privileges Committee investigation as friends of the former prime minister sought to portray it as a “witch hunt”.

Tory peer Lord Greenhalgh backed a campaign for the four Conservative MPs on the Tory-majority committee to pull out of the “kangaroo court”.

The long-standing ally of Mr Johnson, who served under him at Westminster and City Hall, told Times Radio: “I’m concerned that it will be a witch hunt.”

The prime minister’s official spokesman responded by saying Mr Sunak “firmly believes it’s a matter for Parliament”, adding: “Parliament empowered the committee to carry out its work.”

No 10 denies delaying announcements because of Partygate probe

Monday 20 March 2023 13:28 , Andy Gregory

Downing Street has denied delaying announcements because of Boris Johnson’s scheduled Partygate grilling – as MPs were urged not to interfere with the privileges committee.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “We think this is a committee that’s carrying out a function asked to by Parliament, it’s a parliamentary matter, and the Leader of the House set out how we would want parliamentarians to engage with it.”

Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt told MPs “a very dim view will be taken” about anyone who tries to prevent the work of the investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to parliament.

Asked about a report of delays to announcements because of the potential for distraction caused by Mr Johnson’s evidence, the spokesperson said: “It’s not accurate.

“There is a large number of announcements being made this week, whether that’s on support for low-income households on energy, and obviously the vote on the Stormont brake on Wednesday so it is a significant week for government.

“It’s wrong to suggest government business changes as a result of this committee hearing.”

DUP’s Ian Paisley to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal and expects party to join him

Monday 20 March 2023 13:11 , Andy Gregory

Away from Partygate for a moment, senior DUP MP Ian Paisley has said he will vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit agreement with EU and expects his party colleagues to do the same, our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports.

The prime minister faces a crucial Commons vote on the compromise deal on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

But Mr Paisley, one of the most outspoken critics of the framework, claimed it did not pass even one of the DUP’s seven tests on the protocol and said he would vote against it.

The hardliner told the Belfast News Letter: “I am categorically voting against, and I would be surprised if my colleagues do not join me.”

Ian Paisley expects DUP to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal

Watch: Parts of Tory party ‘delusional’ about Johnson, says ex-attorney general

Monday 20 March 2023 12:45 , Andy Gregory

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 12:24 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson is being investigated over whether he misled parliament by repeatedly denying lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.

The investigation into the former prime minister was launched by the privileges committee 11 months ago and earlier this month it published its initial findings, saying the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

My colleague Kate Plummer has everything you need to know about the inquiry:

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Johnson defence ‘does not mention Sue Gray’s defection to Labour'

Monday 20 March 2023 11:32 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will not mention civil servant Sue Gray’s defection to Labour in his submission to the privileges committee, according to The Times’s political editor.

Mr Johnson and his allies claim that the committee’s interim report relies on evidence gathered by Ms Gray during her Partygate probe finished in May 2022.

But the eight-person committee has made clear it has gathered evidence directly from witnesses, independent of Ms Gray’s report. And it is believed Labour did not approach Ms Gray about becoming Keir Starmer’s chief of staff until November.

Johnson ally criticises ‘kangaroo court’ ahead of Partygate hearings

Monday 20 March 2023 11:24 , Andy Gregory

Lord Greenhalgh – an ally of Mr Johnson and deputy mayor when the latter was in London’s City Hall – has backed the campaign by the Conservative Post website which calls for Tory MPs on the privileges committee to pull out of the “kangaroo court”.

Asked if he believes the four Tories should withdraw, he said he was worried about a “McCarthyite approach”, he told Times Radio: “I’m hoping as a parliamentarian that there will be fairness around this, that is my fervent hope. But if not, then the thing should not go ahead.”

A senior Tory figure warned Johnson loyalists that “any pressure put on members of the committee will be looked on very badly” by MPs and peers, telling The Independent: “People look at it as anti-democratic – if they push any further even sympathetic people will be offended.”

Read more here:

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Johnson has ‘a lot of explaining to do’ on Wednesday, says ex-Tory attorney general

Monday 20 March 2023 10:51 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson has “a lot of explaining to do” when he faces MPs on Wednesday, Former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve has said.

Mr Grieve, who was sacked by Mr Johnson over Brexit in 2019, told Sky News: “Mr Johnson certainly does appear to have a considerable problem. He attended some of the gatherings which were parties, and yet he said that there weren’t any gatherings.

“And it’s a bit difficult therefore to understand how he didn’t know that there had been parties going on at Number 10 Downing Street.

“So Mr Johnson’s got a lot of explaining to do, and of course that is against the background of somebody who has a serial reputation for telling untruths whenever it suits him.”

Starmer accuses Johnson of trying to ‘intimidate’ MPs on Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 10:20 , Andy Gregory

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of trying to “intimidate” MPs investigating him over the Partygate scandal.

The Labour leader has given his full backing to an attack on Mr Johnson’s response to the inquiry by shadow minister Thangam Debbinaire, who claimed the former PM had shown “utter disdain for standards in public life” by trying to “discredit” the committee investigating him.

Ms Debbonaire, Labour’s shadow Commons leader, said on Sunday: “Boris Johnson’s attempts to discredit the inquiry shows the utter disdain he has for standards in public life. It’s vital that this well-respected committee, a majority of whom are Tory MPs, can carry out their evidence session without intimidation.”

My colleagues Thomas Kingsley and Adam Forrest have our exclusive report:

Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Johnson allies seek to put pressure on Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 10:08 , Andy Gregory

Allies of Boris Johnson are seeking to put pressure on the committee of MPs investigating him over Partygate.

Lord Cruddas, the former Tory party treasurer who launched the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) after Mr Johnson was kicked out of No 10, has led claims the committee is a “stitch-up”.

Conservative Post, a website affiliated with CDO, has urged party members to email the four Tory MPs who sit on the committee and urge them to quit the “banana republic” inquiry.

The draft emails members are encouraged to send warn the MPs – Alberto Costa, Sir Bernard Jenkin, Andy Carter and Laura Farris – of “deep concern and disappointment over your participation in the Labour-led investigation”.

One ex-minister told The Independent that Mr Johnson’s tactics were clear – explaining that he had “tooled up” legally and would try to hide behind advice on parties taken from No 10 officials, while his allies continue to make “insinuations” about the committee being tied to the work of Ms Gray.

Johnson ‘to argue committee is biased and Partygate probe is unlawful’

Monday 20 March 2023 09:44 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will argue that the committee investigating him over Partygate is “biased” and its probe is “unlawful”, according to The Times.

In his defence, the former PM will reportedly point to tweets from privileges committee chair Harriet Harman claiming he “knowingly lied”, and will claim that the inquiry is unlawful because the burden of proof is too low.

Elements of Conservative Party ‘still delusional’ about Boris Johnson, says former Tory minister

Monday 20 March 2023 09:11 , Andy Gregory

Elements of the Conservative Party are “still delusional” about Boris Johnson, former attorney general Dominic Grieve has said.

It was put to Mr Grieve on Sky News that Mr Johnson is popular within the party and that there is a growing view that it will take someone of Mr Johnson’s character to lead the Tories in the future.

However, Mr Grieve – one of 21 Tory MPs fired by Mr Johnson over Brexit in 2019 – said: “I’m afraid that just shows that elements of the Conservative Party are still delusional about Mr Johnson, and if they want to continue along that path it’s a matter for them.

“But Mr Johnson is not going to help the Conservative Party’s electoral fortunes.”

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