Boris defended as ex-Prime Minister faces new probe into rule-breaking

Furious allies of Boris Johnson hit out at a “complete stitch up” and a “witch-hunt” after the civil service despatched a report back to police making new lockdown rule-breaking claims.

The former prime minister was referred to 2 police forces by the Cabinet Office after his diary entries allegedly revealed visits by family and friends to the premier’s nation retreat Chequers.

Information was uncovered throughout preparations for a public inquiry into the pandemic.

A supply near Mr Johnson mentioned: “This is a complete stitch up and a crazed plot against Boris which will fail.

“We’re not having it. His lawyers are all over it. These were work meetings, not family or friends or so-called parties of any kind. They have all been lawfully checked and legal advice taken on each event. It is very clear-cut, and there is no reason why the police should investigate this matter.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson referred to police over new alleged Partygate breaches

“It’s not as if you can pop into Chequers without giving your details to the police.

“This is an attempt to elongate the investigation into Boris over something so spurious it defies belief.

“The Cabinet Office could easily have checked all this information out but chose not to.

“How much police time is going to be wasted on what can only be described as a vexatious claim? It’s ludicrous, totally ludicrous.

“We cannot believe this crap is still being talked about three years on. It is a witch-hunt, pure and simple and we’ve had enough of it.”

The former Prime Minister’s workforce known as the referral a “clearly politically motivated attempt to manufacture something out of nothing”.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson mentioned: “Some abbreviated entries in Mr Johnson’s official diary were queried by the Cabinet Office during preparation for the Covid inquiry.

“Following an examination of the entries, Mr Johnson’s lawyers wrote to the Cabinet Office and privileges committee explaining that the events were lawful and were not breaches of any Covid regulations.”

An in depth buddy of Boris mentioned: “This is mad, obsessive and lacking in due process. We must end this vendetta against the man 14 million voted for at the last general election.”

Details of the visits to the Grace and Favour residence had been handed to the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police.

Mr Johnson is claimed to have been made conscious of the referral final week and has written to the Cabinet Office denying rule-breaking.

Mr Johnson is believed to have been suggested by legal professionals that all the occasions in query had been lawful and on no account broke any restrictions.

The authorized workforce has made that clear to the Cabinet Office and the Privileges Committee, which is presently investigating whether or not Mr Johnson misled MPs over lockdown rule-breaking in the course of the pandemic.

Mr Johnson has had no contact from the police and it’s understood that he was given no discover of the referral to permit him to place ahead the info earlier than the report was made.

Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson mentioned civil service meddling was behind the report.

He mentioned: “This week we’ve seen a dramatic rise in reporting of civil service political meddling.

“Unfortunately we have fed the mogwai after midnight with the scalps they’ve taken previously, and they won’t rest.

“Thanks to Sue Gray we’ve seen that sunlight will see off gremlins, and highlighting this continued politically-motivated civil service meddling as they have will hopefully be the turning point that sees senior civil servants once again serving the government of the day impartially.”

One senior MP mentioned: “It looks like more smear. As the Government tanks, they continue to smear our only election winner.”

Craig Mackinlay, Conservative MP for South Thanet, mentioned: “The timing seems strange as the Privileges Committee continues their deliberations.

“Coming on the heels of various other Civil Service disclosures this week, the timing seems unusually coincidental.”

A Cabinet Office spokesman mentioned: “Information came to light during the process of preparing evidence for submission to the Covid inquiry. It was identified as part of the normal disclosure review of potentially relevant documents being undertaken by the legal team for inquiry witnesses.

“In line with obligations in the civil service code, this material has been passed to the relevant authorities and it is now a matter for them.”

The Cabinet Office is funding the authorized recommendation for Mr Johnson and different senior figures as a part of the general public inquiry into the pandemic.

Mr Johnson reportedly gave legal professionals entry to his diary, which incorporates particulars of all his conferences, to assist help his defence.

While conducting the “disclosure review”, the workforce determined it was duty-bound to lift any potential breaches of the foundations after discovering particulars of holiday makers to Chequers. The findings had been raised with senior figures within the Cabinet Office.

Mr Johnson confronted a four-hour televised Partygate “show trial” in March when the Privileges Committee grilled the previous prime minister about whether or not he misled parliament.

He handed over a 52-page file to the committee that laid naked in black and white the recommendation key aides gave him when allegations of lockdown events emerged.

The ex-PM informed the seven MPs main the probe that they’ve discovered “no evidence at all that supports an allegation that I intentionally or recklessly misled the House”.

He mentioned it was counting on “the assertions of the discredited Dominic Cummings” who has repeatedly criticised his former boss since being ousted.

A complete of 126 fines had been issued to 83 people for occasions in Downing Street that broke covid guidelines.

Mr Johnson acquired a fixed-penalty discover for attending a ten-minute birthday celebration within the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020.

Rishi Sunak, who was then Chancellor, and Mr Johnson’s spouse, Carrie, had been additionally fined for attending the identical gathering.

Mr Johnson examined constructive for covid within the early days of the pandemic, initially self-isolating in Downing Street earlier than being admitted to intensive care.

The former prime minister later revealed that docs had put preparations in place within the occasion of his demise.

He spent a fortnight convalescing at Chequers after being discharged.

Mr and Mrs Johnson are understood to have stayed on the Grace and Favour residence every so often in the course of the first lockdown however not the second.

A Thames Valley police spokesman mentioned: “On Thursday we received a report of potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Chequers, Buckinghamshire. We are currently assessing this information.”

The Metropolitan Police mentioned: “We are in receipt of information from the Cabinet Office passed to us on 19 May 2023, which we are currently assessing. It relates to potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations between June 2020 and May 2021 at Downing Street.”

One Cabinet minister mentioned that Mr Johnson’s hopes of a comeback had been over. “The information that is coming to light in the pandemic inquiry means he has no chance of making a return,” they mentioned.

Lord Cruddas, a long-time Boris ally and President of the Conservative Democratic Organisation, warned: “This whole personal witch hunt against Boris Johnson is getting out of hand and it could lead to a major split in the Conservative Party between Remainers and Brexiteers”.

The Express understands that ministers within the Cabinet Office haven’t seen any particulars from Mr Johnson’s diary in regards to the alleged occasions, and had been solely informed a narrative was about to return out a number of hours previous to publication.

Conservative MP Ben Bradley: “The former Prime Minister has been through that, we’ve investigated that, the country has dealt with that.

“It sounds like various forces around the country have removed one prime minister, another Cabinet minister. Now they are after Suella and I think Boris is still in the firing line.”