The House of Commons privileges committee has published former prime minister Boris Johnson’s defence, which was submitted following its inquiry investigating whether he misled parliament over partygate.
The probe was launched in the wake of Sue Gray’s partygate report, which blamed a “failure of leadership and judgement” for the lockdown-busting parties that took place in Number 10 during the COVID pandemic.
Authorities from the House of Commons said the initial document from Mr Johnson “had a number of errors and typos” and a correct version was not received until 8.02am on Tuesday.
Politics live: Boris Johnson’s partygate defence revealed
Statements were made ‘in good faith’
A major part of the evidence is that Mr Johnson accepts that the House of Commons “was misled by my statements that the rules and guidance had been followed completely at No 10”.
The evidence reads: “I accept that the House of Commons was misled by my statements that the rules and guidance had been followed completely at No.10.
“But when the statements were made, they were made in good faith and on the basis of what I honestly knew and believed at the time.”
‘Implausible’ that Johnson would have held events ‘obviously’ contrary to lockdown rules
In another part of the evidence, Mr Johnson states that a “suggestion that we would have held events which were ‘obviously’ contrary to the rules and guidance, and allowed those events to be immortalised by the official photographer is implausible”.
Returning to this at a different section, Mr Johnson adds: “If it was ‘obvious’ to me that the rules and guidance were not being followed, it would have also been ‘obvious’ to the dozens of others who also attended those gatherings.
13 November 2020 gathering
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What is Boris Johnson’s partygate defence?
“Many of those individuals wished me ill and would have no hesitation in seeking to bring me down me if I sought to conceal or ‘cover-up’ the truth from the House.
“If someone had known or believed that the rules or guidance had been broken (because it was ‘obvious’), you would expect that there would have been contemporaneous documents recording this, including emails or WhatsApp messages: some discussion, or some post-mortem.
“There is absolutely nothing.”
‘No evidence at all’ to support allegation
Mr Johnson wrote: “It is clear from [the Committee’s] investigation that there is no evidence at all that supports an allegation that I intentionally or recklessly misled the House.
“The only exception is the assertions of the discredited Dominic Cummings, which are not supported by any documentation.”
‘I honestly and reasonably believed in the truth of the statements’
Going on to address each of the statements relied upon by the committee and give them some context, Mr Johnson retained his position, writing: “However, my clear and consistent position since the outset of this inquiry has been that, at the time that the statements were made, I honestly and reasonably believed in the truth of the statements. That remains my position.”
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Johnson accepts he misled parliament
‘Unprecedented and absurd’
In one part of the evidence, Mr Johnson calls the committee’s allegation – that it was “reckless” for him “to rely on assurances that I received from trusted advisers” – “unprecedented and absurd”.
Support from WhatsApp messages
Mr Johnson wrote that “further support” for his case can be found in WhatsApp messages that are in the committee’s possession.
14 January 2021 gathering
He wrote: “On 10 December 2021, I sent a message to Jack Doyle [former Downing Street director of communications] stating: ‘Is there a way we could get the truth about this party out there’.
“I trusted the assurances that Jack Doyle and others had given me, so I wanted the ‘truth’ as they had explained it and as I honestly believed it, to be published. I used ‘party’ as shorthand because that it how it was being referred to in the media.”
Doyle said New Year’s Eve party was ‘within the rules’
Another reference Mr Johnson uses is a brief interaction with Mr Doyle concerning the party on 31 December.
“I asked Jack Doyle about the event, which he confirmed he had attended,” Mr Johnson wrote.
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“He explained to me that the media team held a regular Friday evening team meeting, where they would discuss what had occurred during the week, and have a drink.
“As this was the last Friday of the year, there was also cheese and a Secret Santa. He reminded me that this had been a ‘nightmare’ evening, as the country was about to go back into lockdown at a time when I was desperate to protect Christmas.
“He informed me that to call it a party was a great exaggeration. I asked him: ‘Was it within the Rules?’ He told me: ‘It was within the Rules’.”
‘COVID rules have been followed at all times’
Following reports by the Daily Mirror in December 2021 that Mr Johnson made a speech at a leaving do on 27 November – when the country was in the second lockdown – and allowed a festive party to proceed on 18 December when London was in the grips of Tier 3 restrictions, Number 10 responded with the line: “COVID rules have been followed at all times.”
In his evidence, Mr Johnson said that he “cannot recall” whether he had “sight of that line before it was briefed”.
“Based on my diary, I believe that I did not know about or approve the line before it was given to the Daily Mirror (given that I did not speak to Mr Doyle until 6.00pm). Nothing may turn on this though, given that I did discuss the matter with Mr Doyle, and, based on the assurances that I received from him and my own knowledge and understanding, I agreed with the line,” he wrote.
‘I am reliant on advice from officials’
According to sources at the time, a party took place on 18 December, in Downing Street with around 40 people in attendance.
Addressing this in his evidence, Mr Johnson said that he had “relied on assurances” from his advisers, assurances which he now says were “wrong.”
“As Prime Minister, I am reliant on advice from officials. There is nothing reckless or unreasonable about that,” he wrote.
Events attended by Johnson himself
Addressing events in which he personally attended himself, Mr Johnson wrote: “I honestly and reasonably believed that the rules and guidance were followed at the events that I attended. I did not know that any of these events later escalated beyond what was lawful after I left.”
Boris Johnson pictured toasting staff in Downing Street during lockdown
Mr Johnson added: “The Committee seeks to rely on photographs of the events. However, those photographs support the fact that this was not obvious.”
Johnson’s 56th birthday
Addressing the event for which Mr Johnson received his one and only fine, his 56th birthday gathering – when indoor mixing was banned – he said: “It never occurred to me then or at any time prior to the police issuing the fixed penalty notice, that the event on 19 June 2020 was not in compliance with the rules or the guidance.
19 June 2020 gathering
“I was in the Cabinet Room for a work meeting and was joined by a small gathering of people, all of whom lived or were working in the building. We had a sandwich lunch together and they wished me Happy Birthday.
“I was not told in advance that this would happen. No cake was eaten, and no-one even sang ‘happy birthday’. The primary topic of conversation was the response to COVID.”
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‘I could see into the press office on my way to the flat’
In another part of the evidence, Mr Johnson wrote: “For the avoidance of any doubt, I accept that I could see into the Press Office on my way to the flat, although my attention is often elsewhere when I am returning to the flat. There would be nothing unusual or untoward about that.”
Johnson confirms he attended ‘five events referenced by the committee in its fourth report’
During the evidence, Mr Johnson confirmed that he attended five events referenced to by the committee in its initial 24-page report.
These included: 20 May 2020 garden party; 19 June 2020 Johnson’s birthday party; 13 November 2020 two parties thought to have happened the day Dominic Cummings left; 27 November 2020 Cleo Watson’s [former aide to Mr Johnson] leaving party; 14 January 2021 a leaving party for two private secretaries.