Boris Johnson’s taxpayer-funded Partygate defence bill rises to £245,000

Rishi Sunak urged to ‘put a stop to brazen scheme’, as government extends contract for second time

Boris Johnson’s legal contract has been extended (PA)

Boris Johnson’s legal defence fees for the Partygate inquiry, covered by the taxpayer, have soared again as the government again extended the contract.

The former PM’s legal bill has risen from £222,000 to up to £245,000 after the deal with a team led by top barrister Lord Pannick KC was extended for a second time.

Labour said Rishi Sunak must explain why he has “failed to put a stop to this brazen scheme”, as opposition parties argue Mr Johnson should pay the bill himself.

Mr Johnson – who has made over £5m since leaving office – remains under investigation by MPs over whether he misled parliament about what he knew of rule-breaking parties at No 10.

Solicitors firm Peters and Peters was initially awarded a contract worth £129,700 in August to provide Mr Johnson with advice during the privileges committee’s probe.

No 10 and the Cabinet Office have claim there is precedent for former ministers getting legal support covered by the taxpayer for anything relating to their duties while in government.

The government has pointed to legal advice given to ex- ministers during public inquiries into the Grenfell disaster and the BSE disease outbreak.

But these cases were statutory public inquiries rather than parliamentary inquiries launched by MPs.

Most recently, the then-deputy Dominic Raab covered his own legal fees for the independent probe into bulling claims which saw him resign last month.

“With working families facing a cost-of-living crisis, it beggars’ belief that they should have been left writing a blank cheque for these legal retainers as the ex-PM further enriches himself,” said Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson awaits verdict of Partygate probe ((Kirsty O’Connor/PA))

Ms Rayner added: “Rishi Sunak must explain why he failed to put a stop to this brazen scheme and take immediate steps to ensure his disgraced predecessor returns this money to the public purse.”

The Liberal Democrats urged the PM to have his ethics adviser make inquiries into into Mr Johnson’s legal bill and “how this precedent has been set”.

Wendy Chamberlain, Lib Dem chief whip, said: “Boris Johnson needs to pay back every penny to the public purse immediately.

Mr Johnson is awaiting the outcome of the Partygate probe, and could still face a by-election if he is suspended from the Commons for at least 10 days.

He faced a torrid time’ at March’s showdown grilling before the cross-party committee of MPs on whether he lied about rule-breaking parties during the Covid crisis.

Battling to save his career, the former PM has accused the cross-party group of “absurd, illogical and partisan” claims.

Mr Johnson admitted that he had misled parliament about rule-breaking – but insisted his denials were made “in good faith” based on what he “honestly” knew at the time.

The contract with Peters and Peters has paid for advice from leading lawyer Lord Pannick, who claimed the privileges committee was adopting an “unfair procedure” and a “fundamentally flawed” approach.