Nick Eardley
Chief political correspondent

Today is a big moment.

For more than a year, questions have been asked about Boris Johnson’s account of what went on in Downing Street during lockdown.

Did he tell Parliament – and by extension all of us – the truth? Or did he, as his critics allege, lie?

Today we’ll get a verdict from Johnson’s peers in Parliament – and I think this is going to be a really damaging moment for him.

The committee will say Johnson did mislead Parliament.

They are expected to criticise his evidence to the committee.

And we expect there to be harsh words too for those who sought to undermine the committee’s work.

Boris Johnson isn’t going down without a fight. He believes the committee has treated him unfairly.

He’ll set out more of a rebuttal later.

Image source, Reuters

Late last Friday, Boris Johnson dramatically announced he was quitting as an MP after receiving advance sight of the Privileges Committee report.

In a blistering 1,000-word statement, Johnson lashed out at what he called a “kangaroo court”, claiming the draft report was "riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice".

"They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons," he said, insisting: "I did not lie".

Johnson's exit will trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge seat in west London - a marginal seat both Labour and the Lib Dems are targeting.

But it may not be the end for Johnson, who said he was “very sad” to be leaving Parliament - "at least for now" - leaving open the possibility of a return.

Chris Mason
Political editor

We have talked about it for long enough and today is the day we actually see it.

I’m told the report will see the light of day at around 09:00 BST, all 30,000 words of it.

So be sceptical of anyone pronouncing with confidence about the entire thing at 09:10 - they’ll have just skimmed the summary.

So, what should we look out for, and how devastating is it for Boris Johnson?

The expectation is very.

Does it - as is widely expected - conclude he knowingly misled parliament?

And what evidence does it provide in coming to that judgement?

I suspect it is this crucial point that Johnson may pick away at: how do you prove intent?

Or to put it another way, how do you prove conspiracy rather than cock up?

What does the report say about how long the committee would have recommended Johnson was suspended from the Commons for?

This feels academic now, but it will be a crucial barometer of the magnitude of their critique of him.

And what does it say about the wider attacks on the committee by other MPs during their investigation and the implications of that for the future?

Oh - and one final thing: what does Boris Johnson say and do once the report is public?

It’s going to be quite a day.

Image source, Reuters

Here’s a quick recap of how we got to this point:

• Nov 2021 Reports first emerge that Boris Johnson and his staff broke lockdown rules by attending parties and other gatherings in Downing Street during the pandemic
• Dec 21 Asked about the reports during Prime Minister’s Questions, Johnson insists “all guidance was followed completely” at any events
• Apr 22 Police announce Johnson has been given a fixed penalty notice for attending a gathering to mark his birthday. More than 50 others are also fined in relation to 12 events
• Later that month, the House passes a motion – tabled by the Labour Party – calling for Johnson to be investigated for potentially misleading parliament
• Jun 22 Committee begins its work and puts out initial call for evidence
• Jul 22 Johnson resigns as Conservative leader following a mass revolt by ministers, sparked by scandals including “Partygate”
• Mar 23 Giving testimony before the Privileges Committee, Johnson admits misleading Parliament but denies doing so intentionally
• Last week Johnson resigns as an MP after receiving advance notice of the committee’s findings, accusing its members of trying to "drive him out of Parliament"

Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter

Good morning and welcome.

A long-awaited report into whether former Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled Parliament about lockdown gatherings in Downing Street is set to be published this morning.

The Privileges Committee has been investigating whether Johnson intentionally misled the Commons when he denied the events breached lockdown rules.

On Friday, Johnson dramatically quit as an MP after being given advance sight of the report, claiming he was being forced out of Parliament. He accused the committee – which has a Conservative majority – of being a "kangaroo court" that was determined to find him guilty.

As Johnson has already resigned as an MP, it is not yet clear what sanctions the committee might recommend.

Stay with us as we unpick the story and provide the latest updates and analysis.