London, Thanasis Gavos

Responsibility to Boris Johnson for breaching the terms of the lockdown during the pandemic drops the preliminary finding of the House of Commons Immunity Committee investigating whether the British former prime minister misled the legislature about the “partygate” scandal.

Mr Johnson had repeatedly denied from the floor of the House of Commons that the government’s lockdown guidelines had been breached in Downing Street, until the Metropolitan Police finally fined him and other officials for attending a party.

The cross-party commission began investigating the case at the request of the opposition, and in a 24-page report released today, it says there are strong indications it would have been “obvious” to Boris Johnson that the directives were being breached at Downing Street meetings he attended. .

At the same time, the commission published new photos from these gatherings, in which bottles of alcoholic beverages are depicted.

The preliminary finding states that the Parliament may have been misled by the then prime minister up to four times.

As announced, moreover, Mr Johnson has been called to give evidence before the MPs who make up the committee in the week commencing 20 March.

Details of what the former prime minister will be questioned about were also given. Specifically, because he told MPs that there had been no violation of the directives “while he knew what the directives were and while he was present at gatherings where the directives were violated.”

Also, “why didn’t he tell the body about the gatherings he attended.”

The Immunity Committee emphasizes that today’s report is not final.

If found guilty of misleading the House of Commons, Mr Johnson could face a 10-day ban from the body. In such a case citizens of his constituency in Uxbridge, west London, could call for his recall and trigger a snap election for the seat by gathering signatures from 10% of registered voters there.

However, the committee’s findings or any sanction will have to be approved by the full House of Commons.

In his first reaction boris johnson declared “justified” as he said there was no evidence from the report that he “willfully or knowingly” misled parliament or that he failed to inform parliament in time of any new information that emerged.

“Nor is there evidence in the report that I was aware that any events taking place at Number 10 or the Cabinet Office constituted a breach of the rules or instructions.”Mr. Johnson added.

He accused the committee of basing its initial finding on evidence “orchestrated” by senior civil servant Sue Gray, who had investigated whether Downing Street parties had taken place. Mrs Gray had judged that the rules had been broken and criticized the general “culture” in the government at the time.

Mrs Gray, however, has become a red flag for the ruling Conservatives after she resigned this week to take over as chief of staff to the main opposition Labor leader, Sir Keir Starmer.