Boris Johnson to apologise again for Partygate scandal during two-hour grilling by MPs
BORIS Johnson will today apologise to MPs again over Partygate.
The PM faces the Commons for the first time since being fined £50 after aides sang “Happy Birthday” to him between meetings in lockdown.
Last night, a Downing Street source said: “We’ll have a wholehearted apology, in recognition of the huge strength of feeling over recent weeks.”
No10 insists BoJo “will not shy away from taking responsibility for what’s happened”. He could be grilled by MPs for at least two hours.
Last night, No10 said the PM will use today to “talk about how important the last two weeks have been in the wider world — from the energy strategy and tackling small boats, to visiting Kyiv and speaking to President Biden”.
They insist he will not walk away, as: “He’s totally focused on tackling the problems the country is facing right now.”
READ MORE ON BORIS JOHNSON
And last night ex Defence Secretary Michael Portillo gave the PM his backing, saying: “He has this extraordinary charisma. He’s an epic election winner, one of the finest politicians I’ve seen in the years that I’ve been around.”
It comes as cops are under pressure to widen their Partygate probe to include a boozy bash for ousted spin doctor Lee Cain held in No10 in November 2020.
It’s claimed Mr Johnson posed for photographs and signed a pair of boxing gloves at a leaving do for the sacked aide during lockdown.
Pictures of the gathering to mark his departure were posted online but have since been deleted from social media.
SUE GRAY REPORT - KEY DATES
THE Metropolitan Police are probing 12 out of the 16 Downing Street events identified in Sue Gray's report into parties at No 10.
May 15, 2020 - Downing Street garden party*
May 20, 2020 - No 10 staff party in the garden
June 18, 2020 - Cabinet Office gathering for private secretary's leaving do
June 19, 2020 - PM's birthday party in Cabinet room
November 13, 2020 - Gathering in the No 10 flat
November 13, 2020 - Special adviser's leaving party organised by Carrie Johnson
November 27, 2020 - Gathering in No 10 for the departure of another special adviser*
December 10, 2020 - Department for Education Christmas party*
December 15, 2020 - Downing Street online Christmas quiz*
December 17, 2020 - 70 Whitehall online Christmas quiz for Cabinet Secretary's private office
December 17, 2020 - Cabinet Office for departure of a senior official
December 17, 2020 - Leaving do for a No 10 official
December 18, 2020 - Downing Street Christmas party
January 14, 2021 - Leaving party for two No 10 private secretaries
April 16, 2021 - Gathering for the departure of a senior No 10 official
April 16, 2021 - Leaving party of another No 10 official
*Police are no longer investigating
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Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was spoken to by police after footage showed her without a face mask while campaigning — days before Scotland's Covid laws were dropped.
But Police Scotland said no further action would be taken — much to the fury of Tories.
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