Boris accused of misleading MPs

Boris Johnson is facing allegations that he misled MPs. The Mayor of London is said to have misled the Home Affairs Select Committee by making false claims over the success of a flagship project to reduce crime. Mr Johnson told parliamentarians last month that a unit in Feltham Young Offenders' Institution had reduced reoffending rates from 80 per cent to 19 per cent.

Sir Michael Scholar, the chair of the UK Statistics Authority, wrote to committee chairman Keith Vaz MP, on Friday, stating that the Mayor's evidence was not supported by official statistics and did not stand up to scrutiny.

Sir Michael's letter accuses Mr Johnson of ignoring official warnings not to use figures that were based on anecdotal information. Mr Johnson last week admitted the real reoffending rate was 40 per cent. Mr Vaz said: "The committee will not hesitate to recall witnesses who have provided them with unfounded evidence."