MPs investigating Boris Johnson over Partygate will publish new documents later, ahead of a televised hearing crucial to his political future. The former prime minister is battling accusations he misled Parliament over rule-breaking lockdown parties in Downing Street during his tenure. He has admitted his initial assurances in 2021 that Covid rules were followed completely did mislead MPs. But he says this was not deliberate and that the hearing will vindicate him. The former premier, who was ousted from office last year after a string of scandals, faces being potentially suspended if MPs decide he deliberately misled them.
The seven-member Commons privileges committee is investigating whether what Mr. Johnson told Parliament stopped it from properly holding him to account. At 14.00 GMT on Wednesday, the committee will get its chance to question him live on TV, in a hearing that could last several hours. He is expected to be flanked by members of his taxpayer-funded legal team, with whom he will be able to confer during the session. Mr. Johnson also hopes to have some of his supporters in the room.
However, he will have to answer questions himself and will take an oath on the King James bible before the hearing begins. Before the hearing, at 09.00 GMT the committee will publish a “core bundle” of evidence that is expected to be referred to during the hearing. All the evidence amassed by the committee, including written statements from 23 witnesses, official diaries, and emails between officials, has already been handed over to Mr. Johnson’s legal team.
His lawyers have given the committee 46 WhatsApp messages between the former prime minister and five unnamed people.
