Boris Johnson in row with Cabinet workplace after police referral
B
oris Johnson is accusing the Cabinet Office of creating “bizarre and unacceptable” claims about him after the division referred the previous prime minster to police over additional potential lockdown rule breaches.
Mr Johnson stated the Government was “entirely wrong” after it emerged he had been reported to 2 forces over occasions at each Chequers and Downing Street.
Both the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police are assessing the data, which is known to have come from official diary entries that had been being reviewed forward of the Covid public inquiry.
Mr Johnson strenuously denied the allegations and insisted all occasions in questions had been lawful, with allies suggesting the transfer was politically motivated.
According to The Times, which first reported the story, his ministerial diary revealed visits by associates to Chequers – the prime minister’s grace and favour residence in Buckinghamshire – through the pandemic.
Other potential breaches inside Downing Street had been additionally reported to the Met.
Senior Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a Johnson loyalist, instructed GB News he had visited Chequers along with his household through the pandemic, however that the assembly was “entirely within the rules”.
He stated: “I can tell you that during that period I went to Chequers, I was invited there with my children, entirely in accordance with the rules. Another senior government ministers was going to come but the prime minister cancelled him because you were only allowed to have one family present at the time.”
The Daily Mail quoted a pal of the previous prime minister as saying he was “seriously considering” authorized motion in opposition to the Government over the referrals, of which a spokesman stated he had obtained no discover.
The fallout has piled additional stress on Rishi Sunak, who was fined over a gathering in Downing Street through the pandemic alongside along with his former boss in June 2020.
The Prime Minister will face a grilling from MPs afterward Wednesday during which the topic of Mr Johnson’s previous conduct is more likely to be raised, together with the excellent subject of whether or not he’ll launch an investigation into Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s dealing with of a dashing ticket.
Deputy Labour chief Angela Rayner stated the revelations confirmed the Tories had been too “haunted by their own failure” to control.
The Liberal Democrats demanded Mr Sunak’s Government deliver an finish to the taxpayer-funded authorized defence offered to Boris Johnson over the partygate probe.
The Government expects to pay an estimated £222,000 in authorized charges to assist Mr Johnson defend himself within the privileges committee inquiry into whether or not he lied to MPs over lockdown rule-breaking in Downing Street.
Lindsay Jackson, spokeswoman for the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, branded Mr Johnson “totally unfit for any form of public service” following the revelations and recommended he “quietly step back from public life”.
A press release from Boris Johnson’s workplace stated his legal professionals have written to police to “explain in detail why the Cabinet Office is entirely wrong in its assertions”.
It learn: “No contact was made with Mr Johnson before these incorrect allegations were made both to the police and to the Privileges Committee. This is both bizarre and unacceptable.
“For whatever political purpose, it is plain that a last-ditch attempt is being made to lengthen the Privileges Committee investigation as it was coming to a conclusion and to undermine Mr Johnson.”
The Cabinet Office stated: “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.”