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

Key part of former PM’s defence ‘b*****ks’, says David Davis – as MPs predict he will be found guilty

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.

But senior Tory MP David Davis was scathing about the former Tory PM’s dependence on assurances from his communications director Jack Doyle that a December 2020 party was “within the rules”.

The former cabinet minister told The Independent: “The idea of ministers just saying whatever special advisers write for them is unutterable b*****ks. If that’s the strength of the argument he is sinking without trace. If that’s it, then he’s in for a torrid time.”

Mr Davis added: “[Mr Johnson] could have checked the advice with the authorities – with the cabinet secretary and permanent secretaries at departments in charge of the restrictions. After all, these were rules he authorised.”

As the former Tory leader hunkers down with his legal team ahead of the high noon hearing that could determine his political future, Mr Johnson:

• Claimed it was still unclear to him why he was fined for attending his own birthday party in June 2020 – saying: “No cake was eaten, and no one even sang happy birthday.”
• Revealed he thought drinking wine at No 10 was within the rules for work exemptions and felt it was his “duty” to attend five leaving drinks events.
• Did not deny saying that one event was “probably the most unsocially distanced gathering in the UK right now”.
• Insisted “unavoidable” lack of social distancing in the “old, cramped London townhouse” of No 10 was not necessarily a breach of guidance.

Hyped by his defenders as “bombshell” evidence, the document contained little that was new other than WhatsApp messages from Mr Doyle of a “line to take” that gatherings were “within the rules”.

Mr Johnson insisted to the privileges committee inquiry that he did not “intentionally or recklessly” mislead parliament with his December 2021 claims in the Commons that “all guidance was followed completely”.

Boris Johnson outside his home on Tuesday (PA)

The under-pressure Conservative attacked the “highly partisan” content of the committee’s damning 20-page interim report, after the group of MPs alleged that it would have been “obvious” to him that Covid guidance was not followed.

He said it was “implausible” that he would have known the leaving drinks that were “immortalised” by his official photographer were rule-breaking. He also accused the committee of moving the goalposts by adding “recklessly” to their terms of reference.

The ex-Tory leader said the committee appeared to be alleging that it was “in some way reckless” for Mr Johnson to have relied on assurances from trusted advisers on Covid rules and guidance. “That allegation is unprecedented and absurd.”

Referring to the 18 December party of No 10 press office staff – which sparked the scandal when details first appeared in The Mirror – Mr Johnson said his comms chief Mr Doyle told him: “It was within the rules.”

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

Boris Johnson at a leaving gathering in No 10 (PA)

The committee also noted that Mr Doyle admitted there was a “great gaping hole” in Mr Johnson’s account of the birthday party in June 2020, saying he was “not sure” the workplace exemption excuse worked.

Sue Gray’s report also found that his principal private secretary Martin Reynolds told a special adviser that “we seem to have got away with” a garden party on 20 May 2020.

Mr Johnson said in his dossier that none of those concerns “were communicated to me”. But if he fails to convince MPs he did not deliberately or recklessly mislead parliament he could face sanctions.

A suspension of more than 10 days could trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, though the committee are not expected to deliver a verdict until May.

“It doesn’t seem to be a very strong defence,” one senior Tory MP told The Independent. “Most MPs assume the committee will find he did mislead parliament in a way that was reckless – it’s priced in.”

But they added: “Many are not inclined to view it the most serious offence, and might be sympathetic to less than 10 days [as recommended punishment].”

Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings at No 10 in 2019 (AFP/Getty)

Another senior Tory MP told The Independent: “I think the committee may well find he has fallen short by misleading parliament. But he could get a seven-day suspension – something short of the 10 days. I don’t think that would be a bad outcome. Most of us are fed up of the circus with Boris.”

Former parliamentary lawyer Alexander Horne said some of Mr Johnson’s arguments about the committee being unfair are “hyperbolic”. Writing in The Spectator, the barrister also said the arguments that he could not correct his Commons statements while probes by the police and Sue Gray were ongoing were “fairly weak”.

But Mr Johnson’s allies again attacked the credibility of the inquiry, as they claimed the new dossier “exonerates” their former leader. Loyal backer Andrea Jenkyns MP said she “hopes to see him fully exonerated and to put an end to this kangaroo court”.

Mr Johnson attacked Dominic Cummings as a “discredited” witness in his dossier, after his former chief aide turned enemy claimed that the PM “was warned by him and another adviser” that the May 2020 garden party was against the rules and shouldn’t happen.

But Mr Cummings claimed on Tuesday that Rishi Sunak’s team will have access to more damaging material in government that could “smash” Mr Johnson’s chances of returning to No 10.

“Much remains unpublished,” he wrote in a new blog, adding: “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’.”

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