Boris Johnson demands Tory quits Privileges Committee on eve of partygate report

Boris Johnson has claimed a Tory MP sitting on the committee preparing to publish a report finding he misled Parliament with his partygate denials may have broken lockdown rules.

The former prime minister called for Sir Bernard Jenkin’s resignation from the Privileges Committee on the eve of the publication of its investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to MPs.

The Guido Fawkes website reported that Sir Bernard went to a drinks party held by Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing in December 2020, while London was in Tier 2 measures restricting indoor mixing.

The allegation emerged as the cross-party committee Sir Bernard sits on was preparing to publish on Thursday morning its damning report that Mr Johnson has already resigned as an MP over.

In a statement, Mr Johnson said: “Bernard Jenkin has just voted to expel me from Parliament for allegedly trying to conceal from Parliament my knowledge of illicit events.

“Now it turns out he may have for the whole time known that he himself attended an event – and concealed this from the Privileges Committee and the whole House for the last year.

“To borrow the language of the committee, if this is the case, he ‘must have known’ he was in breach of the rules.

“He has no choice but to explain his actions to his own committee, for his colleagues to investigate and then to resign.”

Police investigation

Lord Peter Cruddas, a Tory donor who Mr Johnson elevated to the Lords, called for the police to investigate.

Sir Bernard has been contacted while a representative for Dame Eleanor declined to comment.

London had entered Tier 2 restrictions six days before the alleged gathering in Parliament on December 8 2020.

Indoor mixing was banned and the rule of six was in place outside. Bars and pubs could only serve alcohol alongside “substantial” meals.

Sources said the Tory-majority Privileges Committee, chaired by Labour’s Harriet Harman, had signed off on its report into Mr Johnson and will publish on Thursday morning.

They have investigated whether Mr Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs either recklessly or deliberately by denying rule-breaking parties in No 10.

The former prime minister was himself fined by the Metropolitan Police, which issued 126 fixed-penalty notices for Covid breaches across Downing Street and Whitehall.

Mr Johnson has railed against the committee he has criticised as a “kangaroo court” and stood down as an MP on Friday after receiving their findings.

The former Conservative leader’s resignation means he will not serve the lengthy suspension likely to be recommended.

If it was at least 10 days and approved by the Commons, then a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency could have been triggered.

Instead, his constituents will go to the polls next month in a major electoral challenge for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak because of the resignation.