Boris Johnson has called for the resignation of Sir Bernard Jenkin, following allegations that he breached Covid restrictions by attending a drinks party in the House of Commons for his wife’s birthday in December 2020…reports Asian Lite News
A long-awaited report by MPs investigating whether former Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled Parliament over Partygate is set to be published on Thursday. The report follows a year-long inquiry conducted by the Privileges Committee.
Prior to the report’s release, Johnson resigned as an MP after receiving an advance copy of the findings, claiming he had been deemed guilty “regardless of the facts.”
In a separate development, on Wednesday, Johnson called for the resignation of a committee member, Sir Bernard Jenkin, following allegations that he breached Covid restrictions by attending a drinks party in the House of Commons for his wife’s birthday in December 2020.
These allegations, first reported by the Guido Fawkes website, suggest that the gathering took place at a time when social mixing outside of households or support bubbles was banned in London.
A BBC report stated that it had been unable to independently verify the claims after contacting various individuals involved, Sir Bernard, Lady Jenkin, and the alleged party host have been approached for comment.
Sir Bernard originally denied attending any drinks parties during lockdown. When he was asked by a Guido Fawkes reporter whether he had a drink at the celebration of his wife’s birthday that evening, Sir Bernard is quoted as saying “I don’t recall”, the BBC reported.
Dame Eleanor Laing, the Deputy Speaker, who allegedly hosted the party, stated that she had sought guidance on the maximum number of people allowed in a room and had taken measures to ensure the safety of those working in the building.
In response to the allegations, Johnson has written to Harriet Harman, who chairs the inquiry, demanding clarification on whether she ensured that panel members had not attended similar events before the inquiry commenced. He accused Sir Bernard of “flagrant and monstrous hypocrisy” if the reports were true.
Few days ago in his resignation statement, Johnson described the committee as a “kangaroo court” whose purpose “from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts”.
Johnson previously admitted misleading Parliament when he gave evidence to the committee in a combative hearing in March – but denied doing it on purpose.
Johnson said the committee “have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons”.
“They know perfectly well that when I spoke in the Commons I was saying what I believed sincerely to be true and what I had been briefed to say, like any other minister,” he said.
He said that social distancing had not been “perfect” at gatherings in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns but insisted the guidelines, as he understood them, were followed at all times.
Johnson was asked repeatedly by a cross-party parliamentary panel in March this year whether he attended parties, broke lockdown rules, misled Parliament, and should resign.
Johnson denied deliberately lying, but if found to have done so, he could face suspension or even lose his seat in Parliament.
He told the committee that the rule-breaking events were wrong and “I bitterly regret it,” but added, “hand on heart, that I did not lie to the House.”
A day after Johnson’s resignation, former Home Secretary Priti Patel praised the leader calling him as the UK’s “most electorally successful Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher”.
“Boris Johnson has served our country and his constituency with distinction. He led the world in supporting Ukraine, got Brexit done, and was our most electorally successful Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher. Boris is a political titan whose legacy will stand the test of time,” Patel tweeted.
British-Indians Patel and Kulveer Singh Ranger have been rewarded in Johnson’s honours list, which came hours before he stepped down as an MP.
Patel was named Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire, while Ranger, former director of transport, was elevated to the Lords.
Patel, 51, served as Home Secretary under Boris Johnson beginning July 2019, and tendered her resignation from the post in September 2022, just before the appointment of Liz Truss as Prime Minister.
The honours list, a tradition granted to outgoing Prime Ministers, included 38 honours and seven peerages, and was approved by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak nine months after Johnson stepped down as premier.
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