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Copyright 2023 Associated Press. All rights reserved Boris Johnson is back where he likes to be: the spotlight. But he is not so happy with reason. The former British prime minister faces questioning on Wednesday by a committee of lawmakers over whether he misled parliament about parties breaking rules in government buildings during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, an optimistic Johnson said "the evidence shows conclusively that I did not knowingly or recklessly mislead Parliament."
"The committee has not produced one shred of evidence to show that I have any," he said.
Scheduled to last several hours, the hearing is a dangerous time for a politician whose career has been a roller coaster of scandals and setbacks. If the House of Commons Committee on Privileges determines that Johnson deliberately lied, he could be suspended or even lose his seat in Parliament.
It would likely end hopes of yet another comeback for the 58-year-old politician, who led the Conservative Party to a landslide victory in 2019 but was ousted by his own party in July 2022 after being embroiled in scandals over money, ethics and judgment. .
In an interim report this month, the committee, made up of Conservative and opposition lawmakers, said evidence strongly suggested it would have been "obvious" to Johnson that demonstrations at his Downing Street offices in 2020 and 2021 broke the rules. COVID-19 lockdown.
Johnson acknowledged on Tuesday that his repeated assurances to Parliament that the rules were followed at all times "have not been shown to be correct." But he said he "did not intentionally or recklessly mislead" lawmakers.
In a presentation of written evidence, Johnson said it never occurred to him that the gatherings, which included cakes, wine, cheese and a "secret Santa" celebratory gift exchange, violated socializing restrictions his own government had imposed. in the country. .
He said he "honestly believed" that the five events he attended, including sending a staff member and his own surprise birthday party, were "legal business meetings".
"No cake was eaten and no one sang 'Happy Birthday,'" he said of the June 19, 2020 celebration.
Police eventually handed out 126 fines for staying up late, drinking parties and "wine Fridays", including one on Johnson, and the scandal helped hasten the end of the premiership.
The revelations about the gatherings have sparked anger among Britons who had followed rules imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, unable to visit friends and family or even say goodbye to dying relatives in hospitals.
Johnson said he was assured by "trusted advisers" that no rules had been broken, assurances that turned out to be false. He said he was then "genuinely shocked" by the rule-breaking discovered by police and senior official Sue Gray, who led a "partygate" investigation.
Johnson and her supporters have also questioned Gray's impartiality, as she has now accepted a post as chief of staff to the leader of the opposition Labor Party.
If the committee finds Johnson in contempt, it could recommend sanctions ranging from an oral apology to suspension of parliament, although any sanction must be approved by the full House of Commons.
A suspension of 10 days or more would allow his voters in the seat of the London suburbs of Uxbridge and South Ruislip to call a special election to replace Johnson as MP.
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