BoJo clashes with MPs over claims he misled Parliament over Partygate

BORIS Johnson today set the scene for a TV clash with MPs who claim he may have misled Parliament on Partygate.

The ex-PM has warned the public to look at the probes into No10 lockdown parties “in a different light” now chief investigator Sue Gray has joined forces with Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer.

Mr Johnson voiced his concerns after the Privileges Committee published a 24-page interim report into what he knew about the pandemic gatherings.

The group of senior MPs — led by Labour’s Harriet Harman — said evidence strongly indicated rule-breaking would have been obvious to him.

It also released new photographs of Mr Johnson attending the get-togethers.

But Mr Johnson said it was “particularly concerning” the committee was proposing to rely on findings from Sue Gray’s investigation into parties last year.

He said that — in light of the revelation Ms Gray is set to become Sir Keir’s chief of staff — she had a “political axe to grind”.

But he said the preliminary report, which also included previously unseen WhatsApp messages, actually showed he was “totally vindicated”.

It sets up an explosive televised evidence session where Mr Johnson will be questioned by the cross-party group in three weeks’ time.

In its interim report, the committee listed four questions where it believes he misled the Commons.

But Mr Johnson said: “I leave it to others to decide how much confidence may now be placed in her inquiry and in the reports that she produced.

“If you told me at the time I commissioned Sue Gray to do the inquiry, all the stuff that I now know, I think I might have cross-examined her more closely about her independence.

“I might have invited her to reflect on whether she was really the right person to do it.”

Mr Johnson said it was surreal and particularly concerning to realise committee MPs were partly relying on her report’s findings.

He said: “I believe that their labours have helped establish the obvious truth.

“It is clear from this report that I have not committed any contempt of Parliament.

“It is also clear that what I have been saying about this matter from the beginning has been vindicated.

“That is because there is no evidence in the report that I knowingly or recklessly misled Parliament, or that I failed to update Parliament in a timely manner.”

Mr Johnson received one of 126 fines issues by the Met Police following parties held amid tough lockdown restrictions in both Downing Street and Whitehall.

He said he thought gatherings were being held in conformity with the rules.

Ms Gray, who is mentioned 26 times in the interim report, resigned from the civil service this week and is now expected to take up the Labour role.

The appointment will be probed by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments who could recommend a long delay.

A spokesperson for the Privileges Committee said:  "The Committee’s report is not based on the Sue Gray report. 

"The Committee’s report is based on evidence in the form of  material supplied by the Government to the Committee in November, including communications such as Whatsapps, emails, and photographs from the official Downing Street photographer."

They added that the report is based on "evidence from witnesses who were present either at the time of the gatherings or at the time of preparation for Boris Johnson’s statements to Parliament. 

"Sue Gray was present at neither and is not one of those witnesses.”