The investigations into Boris Johnson and the government
- Published
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Conservatives have been facing a number of investigations, some of which are still going on.
They include inquiries into parties in Downing Street when Covid-19 rules applied and claims that a Muslim MP's faith was cited as a reason for her sacking as a minister.
Downing Street parties
A series of allegations about parties in Downing Street and other government offices during Covid restrictions have left Mr Johnson fighting for his political life.
Several Conservative MPs have publicly declared they have no confidence in Mr Johnson's leadership and some have called for him to resign over the parties.
The first allegations of gatherings in November and December 2020 were reported by the Daily Mirror newspaper late last year.
Since then, a flurry of reports about alleged gatherings have put more pressure on Mr Johnson.
One party held in Downing Street on 20 May, 2020, and attended by Mr Johnson and his wife, Carrie, has become the focus of intense scrutiny.
This party and others are being looked at as part of an internal investigation, which was ordered by Mr Johnson in December last year.
The government has faced intense pressure over events held in an around Downing Street.
Boris Johnson announced a plan to take the “first careful steps" out of the lockdown that began in March 2020. But he said people should continue to "obey the rules on social distancing and to enforce those rules we will increase the fines for the small minority who break them”.
Legal restrictions at the time said you could not leave your house without a reasonable excuse and government guidance was that you could meet one person outside of your household in an outdoor setting while exercising.
A photo from May 2020 showed the prime minister and his staff with bottles of wine and a cheeseboard in the Downing Street garden. When asked about it, Boris Johnson said, “those people were at work talking about work”.
About 100 people were invited by email to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” on behalf of the prime minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds.
Witnesses told the BBC the PM and his wife were among about 30 people who attended.
Boris Johnson has confirmed he attended the event, saying he was there for 25 minutes and “believed implicitly that this was a work event”.
A gathering took place in the Cabinet Office to mark the departure of a No 10 private secretary.
On Boris Johnson’s birthday, up to 30 people gathered in the Cabinet Room at No 10 to present the prime minister with a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday, according to a report by ITV News.
No 10 said staff had “gathered briefly" to "wish the prime minister a happy birthday", adding that he had been there "for less than 10 minutes”.
Rules at the time banned most indoor gatherings involving more than two people.
Boris Johnson announced plans for a “significant return to normality" in England by Christmas "through targeted, local action” instead of national lockdowns.
But he added that the timetable relied on “every one of us staying alert and acting responsibly”.
With cases of coronavirus rising again, the prime minister told people in England that “we are once again asking you to stay at home” as a new national lockdown began.
He said people should only leave their homes “for work if you can’t work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies”. Indoor gatherings with other households were banned, unless they were for work purposes.
Sources told the BBC that Downing Street staff members attended a gathering with Carrie Johnson in the flat where she and the prime minister live. A spokesman for Mrs Johnson denies the party took place.
A leaving event was held for No 10 aide, Cleo Watson, where people were drinking, and Mr Johnson made a speech, according to sources.
The second national lockdown ended after four weeks but Boris Johnson replaced those restrictions with “tough tiers to keep this virus down”.
London was placed in tier two, which banned two or more people from different households from meeting indoors, unless “reasonably necessary” for work purposes.
The Department for Education has confirmed it had an office gathering to thank staff for their work during the pandemic. It says drinks and snacks were brought by those who attended and no outside guests or support staff were invited.
The Conservative Party has admitted that an “unauthorised gathering” took place at its HQ in Westminster. It was held by the team of the party's London-mayoral candidate, Shaun Bailey, who has since stepped down as chair of the London Assembly police and crime committee. The Metropolitan Police is to speak to two people who attended the party.
Multiple sources have told the BBC there was a Christmas quiz for No 10 staff last year. A photo - published by the Sunday Mirror - showed Boris Johnson taking part and sitting between two colleagues in No 10. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.
London moved into the highest tier of restrictions and Matt Hancock, who was health secretary at the time, said it was important “everyone is cautious” ahead of the festive period.
The Department for Transport apologised after confirming reports of a party in its offices that day, calling it “inappropriate" and an "error of judgment” by staff.
A leaving party was held at the Cabinet Office for the outgoing head of the civil service Covid taskforce - the team responsible for drawing up coronavirus restrictions.
Kate Josephs, now chief executive of Sheffield City Council, apologised for the event, saying she was “truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result”.
Downing Street originally denied a report by the Daily Mirror that a party took place in Downing Street.
However, a video obtained by ITV News showed the prime minister's then-press secretary Allegra Stratton, joking about reports of an event, saying: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”
A gathering was held in No 10 Downing Street to mark the departure of two private secretaries.
Lockdown restrictions were eased in England, with pubs and restaurants allowed to reopen with outdoor service only.
However, working from home continued to be recommended and socialising indoors with people from other households was not allowed. Meeting others outdoors was limited to groups of six people or two households.
Two parties were held by Downing Street staff at No 10, the night before Prince Philip's funeral.
One of the events was a leaving party for the PM's then director of communications James Slack, who has apologised for the event and acknowledged it “should not have happened at the time that it did”.
Boris Johnson was not at either party.
Sue Gray inquiry: Ongoing
The investigation is being carried out by Sue Gray, a senior civil servant at the Cabinet Office.
Her report is likely to be a largely factual account of any gatherings, and she cannot rule on whether lockdown laws were broken. She is expected to report her findings this week.
Many Conservative MPs have said they will withhold judgement on Mr Johnson's position until the publication of Ms Gray's report.
Nusrat Ghani
In an interview with the Sunday Times, external, Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani accused one of Mr Johnson's whips of raising her faith as a reason for her sacking as a minister in 2020.
Ms Ghani was appointed transport minister in 2018 but lost that job in a mini-reshuffle of Mr Johnson's government in February 2020.
Ms Ghani alleged her "Muslimness was raised as an issue" at a meeting with a whip in Downing Street.
Tory MP Nusrat Ghani says she wants her allegations to be taken seriously
Conservative Chief Whip Mark Spencer later identified himself as the subject of Ms Ghani's allegations, which he denied and said were defamatory.
Downing Street said Mr Johnson had previously met with Ms Ghani to discuss her concerns and advised her to make a formal complain to the Conservative Party's HQ.
Cabinet Office inquiry: Under way
Mr Johnson ordered an inquiry into Ms Ghani's allegations after senior ministers called for an investigation.
Downing Street said the prime minister took the allegations "very seriously" and had "asked officials to establish the facts about what happened".
Ms Ghani welcomed the inquiry and said she looked forward to seeing the terms of reference.
But the former chair of the Conservative Party, Lady Warsi, called for the Equalities and Human Rights Commission to intervene because the government might have broken the law.
Downing Street flat
Mr Johnson faced questions about how the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat was paid for.
The investigations led to the Conservative Party being fined.
The Electoral Commission: Concluded
The watchdog fined the Conservative Party £17,800 for "failing to accurately report a donation" that paid for the refurbishment of the prime minister's flat.
It found that Huntswood Associates Ltd, whose director is Tory peer and former Conservative vice chairman Lord Brownlow, gave more than £52,000 to the Conservative Party to cover the cost of work that had initially been paid for by the Cabinet Office.
The Electoral Commission found that payment had not been properly recorded and that it should not have been described as a loan or as part of a trust.
But it said that separate payments of almost £60,000 for the refurbishments made by Lord Brownlow directly to suppliers did not need to be declared.
Lord Geidt: Concluded
Mr Johnson asked his adviser on ministerial standards, Lord Geidt, to look into the "facts surrounding" the flat revamp, external.
He was supported by Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, who had also been asked to look into the matter.
Lord Geidt concluded the PM had not broken the ministerial code, but had acted "unwisely" by not being more "rigorous" in finding out who funded the refurbishment work.
In January 2022 an exchange of letters between Lord Geidt and the prime minister was published, external in which the adviser on standards complains about not having been shown an exchange of WhatsApp messages between Mr Johnson and Lord Brownlow, which later emerged as part of the Electoral Commission's investigation.
Lord Geidt said he had been told Mr Johnson lost the ability to search for the messages in April 2020, after security changes, following news his personal mobile phone number was available online.
Lord Geidt said that the messages did not alter his fundamental conclusions but adds that it was "plainly unsatisfactory" that he had not received all the relevant information and that not enough care had been taken to assemble it.
Jennifer Arcuri
Mr Johnson has drawn scrutiny over his relationship with American businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri while he was London Mayor between 2008 and 2016.
Ms Arcuri received public grants for her technology business and event sponsorship, and had access to three foreign trade missions led by Mr Johnson.
She has since claimed to have had an intimate relationship with Mr Johnson, raising questions about conflicts of interest. Mr Johnson has always denied wrongdoing.
Boris Johnson with Jennifer Arcuri at an event in 2014
London Assembly investigation: Ongoing
In September the assembly heard evidence from Ms Arcuri, who said members of Mr Johnson's staff knew he had a "crush" on her when he was mayor.
Labour assembly member Len Duvall said the committee would look at Mr Johnson's conduct, including whether he adhered to the "principles of public life".
Any finding that Mr Johnson acted improperly could be politically damaging and embarrassing. But as he is no longer mayor, the assembly will not be able to impose any sanctions or question him further.
Separately, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said last year it would not carry out a criminal investigation into Mr Johnson's dealings with Ms Arcuri.
Greensill Capital
A row about lobbying began after it emerged former Conservative prime minister David Cameron contacted ministers and officials via text messages, on behalf of collapsed finance firm Greensill Capital.
The company's founder worked as an unpaid adviser to Mr Cameron during his time in Downing Street.
Mr Cameron has insisted he did not break any rules, but acknowledged it would be better for ex-PMs to communicate more formally with government figures, through letters rather than texts.
The Boardman Review: Under consideration
Mr Johnson announced a review into government decisions involving Greensill, led by lawyer Nigel Boardman.
It examined the relationship between the firm and current and former ministers.
Greensill Capital was founded by Australian financier Lex Greensill
The first part of the review, published in July, said Mr Greensill's Downing Street role gave him a "marketing platform" for his business.
It also said Mr Cameron "understated" the nature of his relationship with Greensill Capital. However it concluded he "did not breach the current lobbying rules and his actions were not unlawful".
The second part, published in September, outlined 19 recommendations, including legally binding restrictions on the work former ministers and senior civil servants can take. It said those engaged in lobbying should formally register.
The government is yet to respond to the review, which is not legally binding.
Other Parliamentary inquiries
Commons select committees launched inquiries into Greensill:
The Treasury Committee said the Treasury should have encouraged Mr Cameron into more formal lines of communication
An interim report from the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee found no apparent conflicts of interest in Mr Greensill's relationship with the government. It will now review Mr Boardman's reports
The Public Accounts Committee has examined evidence about Greensill Capital's involvement in government Covid loan schemes
The independent advisory Committee on Standards in Public Life said "the current system of transparency around lobbying is not fit for purpose"
The National Audit Office found "no evidence" that ministers or senior civil servants considered potential conflicts of interest with Greensill Capital before awarding public sector contracts.
Mr Cameron insisted his lobbying for Greensill was in the public interest, but also revealed he was paid "far more" by the finance firm than he was as PM, during appearances before the Treasury committee and the Public Accounts Committee.
Mustique holiday: Concluded
An investigation how Mr Johnson's 2019 holiday to the Caribbean was paid for ended earlier this year.
Carphone Warehouse owner David Ross invited the prime minister and then-fiancée Carrie Symonds to the private island of Mustique.
Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone said the prime minister broke the rules by not having "fulfilled conscientiously" the requirements to register donations.
But her decision was overturned by a parliamentary committee. It said it was "regrettable" a full explanation had not come earlier.
The probe related to the couple's stay on the private island
- Published30 April 2021
- Published20 April 2021
- Published30 April 2021
