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Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of trying to “discredit” the committee investigating whether he misled parliament over the Partygate scandal, as he battles to save his political career in televised hearings on Wednesday.
The Labour leader backed an attack by his shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire, in which she warned it was vital the probe could be conducted “without intimidation” and accused Mr Johnson of having “utter disdain” for standards in public life.
The ex-PM will submit a 50-page dossier in a bid to defend himself ahead of Wednesday’s hearing – as senior Tory MPs told The Independent that Mr Johnson should “tell the truth” and “be serious for once”.
They warned it would be unwise for Mr Johnson to try to attack the privileges committee or former civil servant Sue Gray, as allies of Rishi Sunak warned the hearings risk reigniting the Tory “psychodrama”.
But allies of the former PM attempted to undermine the inquiry, calling it a “McCarthyite witchhunt”, and put pressure on Tory MPs on the committee to quit.
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Johnson defence ‘does not mention Sue Gray’s defection to Labour'
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.
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 11:321679311491
Johnson ally criticises ‘kangaroo court’ ahead of Partygate hearings
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
Exclusive: 67% voters want ex-PM to stand down if inquiry finds he misled, poll finds
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 11:241679309496
Johnson has ‘a lot of explaining to do’ on Wednesday, says ex-Tory attorney general
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.”
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 10:511679307610
Starmer accuses Johnson of trying to ‘intimidate’ MPs on Partygate committee
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
Exclusive: Labour leader backs attack on ex-PM by shadow minister Thangam Debbonaire
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 10:201679306891
Johnson allies seek to put pressure on Partygate committee
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 Independentthat 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.
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 10:081679305488
Johnson ‘to argue committee is biased and Partygate probe is unlawful’
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.
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 09:441679303485
Elements of Conservative Party ‘still delusional’ about Boris Johnson, says former Tory minister
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.”
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 09:111679301921
Sunak supporters fear return of Tory ‘psychodrama'
Rishi Sunak supporters in the Tory party fear some of the positive headlines which followed the Brexit deal with the EU and Jeremy Hunt’s Budget will be undone by a return of the “psychodrama” brought by Boris Johnson’s hearing.
One ex-minister told The Independent it would be a distracting “sideshow”.
Rishi Sunak said last week that he would not seek to influence MPs on the privileges committee, and indicated he would grant a free vote to Conservative MPs on any sanction that may be recommended.
Asked if he was not concerned that a suspension of more than 10 days could trigger a by-election in Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, Mr Sunak added: “This is a matter for Parliament, for the House. It’s not right for the government to get involved.”
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 08:451679300492
Two thirds of voters want Boris Johnson to step down as MP if he misled parliament
An exclusive new poll for The Independent has found two in three voters think Boris Johnson should stand down as an MP if the parliamentary probe finds that he misled MPs over Partygate.
In response to the poll results, Mr Johnson’s spokesperson said it showed the majority of people who were asked “want Boris Johnson to stay in parliament”.
Chris Hopkins, director of Savanta, said that Mr Johnson’s “interventions in UK politics are increasingly unpopular and potentially damaging for the government and Rishi Sunak”.
The pollster added: “The public are starting to see the fruition of pragmatic and sensible leadership, and the spectre of Johnson does little but undermine Sunak’s new approach.”
Savanta’s latest survey for The Independent also found that almost two-thirds of the British public (65 per cent) are against the idea of Stanley Johnson receiving a knighthood. Only 14 per cent are in favour.
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest and politics editor Kate Devlin have the full report:
Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public
Exclusive: 67% voters want ex-PM to stand down if inquiry finds he misled, poll finds
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 08:211679300109
Boris Johnson urged to ‘tell the truth’ at Partygate hearings
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 the Tory “psychodrama” after a good few weeks for Rishi Sunak, report my colleagues Adam Forrest and Kate Devlin.
Senior Tory MPs told The Independent it would be unwise for Mr Johnson to try to attack the committee or former civil servant Sue Gray on Wednesday – urging him to “cooperate” and answer honestly.
Allies of Mr Johnson attempted to undermine the inquiry, calling it a “McCarthyite witchhunt” and put pressure on four Tory MPs on the committee to quit.
Sir Bob Neill, the chair of the Commons Justice select committee, called on Boris to “tell the truth” in front of MPs. He told The Independent: “I would say just tell the truth. Just be straight and serious for once … But I would not hold my breath”.
Sir Bob described the hearing as an “irritation” – but hopes that “in the longer term might remind people as to how things have improved” under Rishi Sunak.
One former Tory minister said Mr Johnson should “fully cooperate and be helpful” to the committee if he wanted to retain any support from Tory MPs ahead of any punishment recommended by the group.
Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public
Exclusive: 67% voters want ex-PM to stand down if inquiry finds he misled, poll finds
Andy Gregory20 March 2023 08:15
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