Report finds Boris Johnson 'deliberately misled' Parliament about lockdown parties

A report by a group of MPs has said that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson deliberately misled Parliament on multiple occasions over lockdown parties in Downing Street during the pandemic. In effect they have said that he lied, and that they believe he did so on purpose.

Last week Mr Johnson decided to step down as a Conservative Member of Parliament after being sent a copy of the report by the Commons Privileges Committee before it was published.

The committee said that had he still been an MP, it would have recommended suspending Mr Johnson from the House of Commons for 90 days.

Mr Johnson has previously admitted his statements about lockdown parties misled Parliament but denied doing so on purpose.

What did the report find?

Earlier this year Mr Johnson faced questions from MPs on the Committee

The seven-person committee, four of whom are Conservative MPs from the same party as Mr Johnson, had been looking into his behaviour during the coronavirus pandemic.

They were investigating whether Mr Johnson told Parliament the truth about breaking coronavirus rules in Downing Street and other government buildings during the pandemic.

Mr Johnson had said the gatherings were "essential" work events and that no rules were broken.

However, the report says that he lied to the House of Commons, and also lied to the committee with his denials that parties took place in Downing Street during coronavirus restrictions.

It also says that Mr Johnson had broken confidentiality when he criticised the committee's findings in his resignation statement last week, as the report was given to him in private ahead of being published.

The report says that he had "impugned", or questioned the honesty of the committee.

The MPs also said that he was "complicit" - that he was involved in and did nothing to stop - in abuse of the committee and attempts to "intimidate", or threaten, its members.

As a result, the committee recommended that had Mr Johnson still been an MP, he should be suspended from the House for 90 days for repeatedly misleading Parliament and for undermining the democratic process - a very long suspension and serious punishment by historical standards.

However, as he is no longer an MP, the committee recommended that Mr Johnson should be stripped of the pass given to former MPs allowing them access to Parliament.

It is now up to MPs to decide whether to accept the Committee's recommendations.

The report will be debated by MPs, with a vote held on whether to approve the findings on Monday.

MPs are expected to approve the report, after Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said Conservative MPs would not be ordered to vote against it.

What has Mr Johnson said in reply?

Mr Johnson has previously admitted his statements misled Parliament but denied doing so on purpose.

Upon receiving the findings of the report, Mr Johnson repeated many of the things he said in front of the committee in March, including his claim that he believed all of the events he attended were "lawful" and "required by my job".

He also said in a very strongly worded statement that he had been warned the committee was driven by "the sole political objective of finding me guilty and expelling me from Parliament".

On the findings that he deliberately misled Parliament, Mr Johnson said this was "rubbish" and based on "a series of things that are patently absurd".

He said the report has "twisted the truth".

What have other politicians said?

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called for Mr Johnson to apologise

Many politicians from different political parties have been giving their reaction to the published report.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said that Mr Johnson had let down those who put "so much trust, faith and confidence" in him.

She explained: "Boris Johnson is not only a law breaker but he's a liar.

"He needs to apologise for what he's put the public through - he won't though because Boris Johnson never accepts responsibility for what he does," she added.

Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey also described Mr Johnson as "a liar and law-breaker" on social media.

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf accused Johnson of betraying the people of Scotland and the UK.

But some MPs support Boris Johnson.

Former cabinet minister, Sir Simon Clarke, who is a supporter, said he was "amazed at the harshness of today's report".

"I believed Boris before and I believe him today......and I will vote against this report on Monday," he tweeted.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said Johnson had "made his decision, he made the decision to resign" after he saw the report last week, while adding: "Boris has achieved an awful lot."

Downing Street has not made a formal comment on the report but said: "In line with proper process, it's now for the House and MPs to consider its findings."