Boris Johnson news – live: Ex-PM submits Partygate defence dossier as row grows over ‘intimidation’

Boris Johnson has submitted his defence dossier to the committee investigating whether he knowingly misled parliament over Partygate, as a row intensifies over accusations of his allies attempting to “discredit” the probe.

The body wants to publish the dossier – submitted ahead of Wednesday’s televised hearing – as soon as possible, The Independent understands.

Meanwhile, No 10 has warned that Mr Johnson’s allies should not interfere or put undue pressure on the committee, as Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer backed an attack by his frontbencher Thangam Debbonaire in which she warned it was vital the probe could be conducted “without intimidation”.

But with some of the former PM’s allies dubbing the inquiry a “witch hunt” and pressuring Tory MPs on the committee to quit, Tory peer Lord Cruddas went so far as to call on the prime minister to intervene “because there is a conflict of interest” over former civil servant Sue Gray.

He said: “The crivileges Committee should not proceed until the Sue Gray story around her report is cleared up. Stop treating the electorate with contempt.”

Key Points

• Sir Keir Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of trying to ‘discredit’ committee

• Johnson to hand over 50-page defence dossier to Partygate probe

• Ex-PM urged to ‘tell the truth’ in televised hearing

• Rishi Sunak’s allies fear probe risks reigniting Tory ‘psychodrama’

• Two thirds of voters want Johnson to step down as MP if he misled parliament

Boris Johnson accused of ‘bullying’ and intimidation of Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

04:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Boris Johnson and his allies have been accused of trying to “bully” and intimidate an investigating committee of MPs ahead of his showdown televised grilling on Partygate on Wednesday.

Senior Conservatives joined Labour in urging the Johnson camp to stop “disgraceful” efforts to undermine the privileges committee – warning that it “borders on contempt of parliament”.

Mr Johnson’s legal team finally handed a defence dossier to the committee on Monday, but his rebuttal of allegations that he lied to parliament is not expected to be published until Tuesday after redactions are made.

Boris accused of ‘bullying’ Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Sean O’Grady: The rise, fall and rise again of Boris Johnson

03:30 , Emily Atkinson

Did he lie to parliament and will he be forced into a by-election? Sean O’Grady looks into the ex-PM’s comeback options.

The rise, fall and rise again of Boris Johnson

Sunak gives Tories a lift but Johnson is a negative, says polls expert

03:18 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the “partygate” scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

Read the full story here:

Sunak gives Tories a lift but Johnson is a negative, says polls expert

Boris Johnson battles for political life ahead of showdown Partygate grilling

02:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is hunkered down with his legal team this weekend to get ready for an extraordinary televised grilling by MPs that will decide his political fate.

The former Tory prime minister is scrambling to save his career ahead as he gets ready for Wednesday’s four-hour showdown hearing on whether he lied about Partygate in parliament.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris Johnson battles for political life ahead of showdown Partygate grilling

ICYMI | Johnson’s defence for Partygate questioning is ‘robust’, says Oliver Dowden

01:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson urged to ‘tell the truth’ on Partygate, as two-thirds of voters demand exit as MP if he lied

00:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson has been urged to “tell the truth” and “be serious for once” at this week’s Partygate grilling, as Tory MPs fear the televised hearing risks reigniting Tory psychodrama after a good few weeks for Rishi Sunak.

The former Tory PM is fighting to save his career as he hunkers down with his legal team to prepare for Wednesday’s four-hour showdown on whether he lied to parliament about his knowledge of rule-breaking parties during Covid.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest and Whitehall editor Kate Devlin have more:

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 23:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is being investigated over whether he misled parliament by repeatedly denying lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.

The investigation into the former prime minister was launched by the privileges committee 11 months ago and earlier this month it published its initial findings, saying the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

On Monday, Mr Johnson is set to submit a 50-page defence of his behaviour to the committee, before he faces MPs in a televised hearing on Wednesday.

Here is Kate Plummer with everything you need to know about the investigation:

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Keir Starmer accuses Boris Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Monday 20 March 2023 22:30 , Emily Atkinson

Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of trying to “intimidate” MPs investigating him over the Partygate scandal.

The Labour leader has given his full backing to an attack on Mr Johnson’s response to the privileges committee inquiry by shadow minister Thangam Debbonaire.

The shadow Commons leader claimed the former Tory prime minister has shown “utter disdain for standards in public life” by trying to “discredit” the Commons Committee investigating him.

Thomas Kingsley and Adam Forrest have the details:

Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Latest images of Boris Johnson ahead of televised evidence session

Monday 20 March 2023 21:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson accused of ‘bullying’ and intimidation of Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Monday 20 March 2023 20:30 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson and his allies have been accused of trying to “bully” and intimidate an investigating committee of MPs ahead of his showdown televised grilling on Partygate on Wednesday.

Senior Conservatives joined Labour in urging the Johnson camp to stop “disgraceful” efforts to undermine the privileges committee – warning that it “borders on contempt of parliament”.

Mr Johnson’s legal team finally handed a defence dossier to the committee on Monday, but his rebuttal of allegations that he lied to parliament is not expected to be published until Tuesday after redactions are made.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris accused of ‘bullying’ Partygate inquiry MPs as he hands over defence

Dominic Grieve: ‘The Partygate inquiry must not be derailed by the bluster of a known liar'

Monday 20 March 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson

Impartiality is vital and the MPs looking into the former prime minister will put fair process ahead of political party allegiance, writes Dominic Grieve.

Dominic Grieve: The Partygate inquiry cannot be derailed by bluster from a known liar

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Monday 20 March 2023 19:30 , Emily Atkinson

Downing Street has warned allies of Boris Johnson against interfering in the inquiry into whether he lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman defended the Privileges Committee investigation as friends of the former prime minister sought to portray it as a “witch hunt”.

Mr Johnson’s written defence to the inquiry could be published as soon as today in the form of a lengthy submission from his barrister Lord Pannick KC.

More on this story here:

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Politics explained: Why the DUP rebellion on the Brexit bill is simply bluster

Monday 20 March 2023 19:05 , Emily Atkinson

Jeffrey Donaldson and his colleagues have nothing to lose from their opposition to Rishi Sunak’s Protocol replacement, writes Sean O’Grady.

Parts of Conservative party 'delusional' about Boris Johnson, Dominic Grieve says

Monday 20 March 2023 18:40 , Emily Atkinson

Politics explained: Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

Monday 20 March 2023 18:15 , Emily Atkinson

Boris Johnson is addicted to getting himself into trouble. The former Tory leader has made a strange habit of tripping up and falling into avoidable scandals throughout his political career.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more

Can Boris Johnson escape punishment at Partygate inquiry?

Privileges Committee confirms evidence handed over by Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 17:50 , Emily Atkinson

The Privileges Committee has confirmed it has received Boris Johnson‘s written evidence and committed to publishing it “as soon as is practicably possible”.

A spokesman for the cross-party group of MPs said: “The Committee of Privileges can confirm it received written evidence from Boris Johnson MP at 2.32pm on Monday.

“The committee will need to review what has been submitted in the interests of making appropriate redactions to protect the identity of some witnesses.

“The committee intends to publish this as soon as is practicably possible. The material will be published on the committee website.”

Boris Johnson‘s written defence 'to be published on Tuesday’

Monday 20 March 2023 17:25 , Emily Atkinson

The Privileges Committee is highly unlikely to publish Boris Johnson‘s written defence today, as clerks and lawyers are still combing through the dossier, the PA news agency understands.

The dossier is expected to be published on Tuesday.

Boris Johnson remains a ‘serious negative’ for most voters, says elections expert

Monday 20 March 2023 17:02 , Emily Atkinson

Prime minister Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the “partygate” scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

However Lord Hayward suggested that would not go down well with voters.

“He is a serious negative for most people,” he said. “People have moved away from Boris in numbers. Boris‘s polling is far worse than is the case for Rishi.”

In contrast, Lord Hayward said that recent council by-election results suggested something of an upturn in the Tories’ fortunes under Mr Sunak.

While he said he still expected the Conservatives would lose seats in May, he would not expect the losses to be as great as if the elections had been held a few weeks ago.

Nigel Farage claims Brexit ‘still not completed’ despite Sunak deal

Monday 20 March 2023 16:35 , Emily Atkinson

Nigel Farage has lashed out at Rishi Sunak’s Northern Ireland Protocol deal with the EU and claimed Brexit has still “not been completed”.

The honorary president of Reform UK party complained that Brussels regulations had “not been axed” from British statue books despite Tory pledges.

Mr Farage also claimed the UK’s borders “are as open as they have literally ever been” despite promises to “take back control” at the Brexit referendum.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Nigel Farage claims Brexit ‘still not completed’ despite Sunak deal

Johnson remains ‘serious negative’ for most voters, says polling expert

Monday 20 March 2023 16:14 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak appears to be “pulling up” the Tories’ poll ratings while Boris Johnson remains a “serious negative” for most voters, according to one elections expert.

Lord Hayward, a Conservative peer, said the party was not “out of the woods” but there were signs of progress ahead of crucial council elections in England next month.

In a pre-election presentation for journalists, he said that while voters had not forgotten the Partygate scandal, it was having a “diminishing” impact on perceptions of the Conservatives.

Opinion | Johnson is using every element of the Trump playbook to undermine the Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 15:33 , Andy Gregory

In his new column, our associate editor Sean O’Grady takes a look at the “Trumpian” elements of Boris Johnson’s efforts to defend himself ahead of the privileges committee hearings on Wednesday.

He concludes: “Like Trump, he not to be trusted, and a menace to democracy, as we will no doubt discover once again on Wednesday. Like Trump, though, he is a slowly fading force, shrunken since the fall from power, the attempts to remain relevant and stage a comeback increasingly pathetic.

“His party want to move on. He's an embarrassment. Johnson's bluster and banter can no longer carry him through the squalls. He’s going to find his interrogation hard going, but he may be too arrogant to yet realise it. I can’t wait.”

You can read the full piece here:

Partygate: How Johnson is borrowing straight from the Trump playbook

NEW: Boris hands over his Partygate defence dossier

Monday 20 March 2023 14:52 , Andy Gregory

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:

Boris Johnson’s written defence to allegations he lied to Parliament over his Partygate denials has been handed over to the cross-party privileges committee.

The Independent understands the committee wants to publish his dossier as soon as possible, but has to run through it and redact any names it does not want in the public domain.

No 10 warns Johnson allies against portraying inquiry as ‘witch hunt’

Monday 20 March 2023 14:24 , Katy Clifton

Downing Street has warned allies of Boris Johnson against interfering in the inquiry into whether he lied to parliament with his Partygate denials.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman defended the Privileges Committee investigation as friends of the former prime minister sought to portray it as a “witch hunt”.

Tory peer Lord Greenhalgh backed a campaign for the four Conservative MPs on the Tory-majority committee to pull out of the “kangaroo court”.

The long-standing ally of Mr Johnson, who served under him at Westminster and City Hall, told Times Radio: “I’m concerned that it will be a witch hunt.”

The prime minister’s official spokesman responded by saying Mr Sunak “firmly believes it’s a matter for Parliament”, adding: “Parliament empowered the committee to carry out its work.”

No 10 denies delaying announcements because of Partygate probe

Monday 20 March 2023 13:28 , Andy Gregory

Downing Street has denied delaying announcements because of Boris Johnson’s scheduled Partygate grilling – as MPs were urged not to interfere with the privileges committee.

Rishi Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “We think this is a committee that’s carrying out a function asked to by Parliament, it’s a parliamentary matter, and the Leader of the House set out how we would want parliamentarians to engage with it.”

Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt told MPs “a very dim view will be taken” about anyone who tries to prevent the work of the investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to parliament.

Asked about a report of delays to announcements because of the potential for distraction caused by Mr Johnson’s evidence, the spokesperson said: “It’s not accurate.

“There is a large number of announcements being made this week, whether that’s on support for low-income households on energy, and obviously the vote on the Stormont brake on Wednesday so it is a significant week for government.

“It’s wrong to suggest government business changes as a result of this committee hearing.”

DUP’s Ian Paisley to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal and expects party to join him

Monday 20 March 2023 13:11 , Andy Gregory

Away from Partygate for a moment, senior DUP MP Ian Paisley has said he will vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit agreement with EU and expects his party colleagues to do the same, our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports.

The prime minister faces a crucial Commons vote on the compromise deal on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

But Mr Paisley, one of the most outspoken critics of the framework, claimed it did not pass even one of the DUP’s seven tests on the protocol and said he would vote against it.

The hardliner told the Belfast News Letter: “I am categorically voting against, and I would be surprised if my colleagues do not join me.”

Ian Paisley expects DUP to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal

Watch: Parts of Tory party ‘delusional’ about Johnson, says ex-attorney general

Monday 20 March 2023 12:45 , Andy Gregory

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Monday 20 March 2023 12:24 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson is being investigated over whether he misled parliament by repeatedly denying lockdown rules were broken in Downing Street.

The investigation into the former prime minister was launched by the privileges committee 11 months ago and earlier this month it published its initial findings, saying the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

My colleague Kate Plummer has everything you need to know about the inquiry:

Everything you need to know about the Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson

Johnson defence ‘does not mention Sue Gray’s defection to Labour'

Monday 20 March 2023 11:32 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will not mention civil servant Sue Gray’s defection to Labour in his submission to the privileges committee, according to The Times’s political editor.

Mr Johnson and his allies claim that the committee’s interim report relies on evidence gathered by Ms Gray during her Partygate probe finished in May 2022.

But the eight-person committee has made clear it has gathered evidence directly from witnesses, independent of Ms Gray’s report. And it is believed Labour did not approach Ms Gray about becoming Keir Starmer’s chief of staff until November.

Johnson ally criticises ‘kangaroo court’ ahead of Partygate hearings

Monday 20 March 2023 11:24 , Andy Gregory

Lord Greenhalgh – an ally of Mr Johnson and deputy mayor when the latter was in London’s City Hall – has backed the campaign by the Conservative Post website which calls for Tory MPs on the privileges committee to pull out of the “kangaroo court”.

Asked if he believes the four Tories should withdraw, he said he was worried about a “McCarthyite approach”, he told Times Radio: “I’m hoping as a parliamentarian that there will be fairness around this, that is my fervent hope. But if not, then the thing should not go ahead.”

A senior Tory figure warned Johnson loyalists that “any pressure put on members of the committee will be looked on very badly” by MPs and peers, telling The Independent: “People look at it as anti-democratic – if they push any further even sympathetic people will be offended.”

Read more here:

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Johnson has ‘a lot of explaining to do’ on Wednesday, says ex-Tory attorney general

Monday 20 March 2023 10:51 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson has “a lot of explaining to do” when he faces MPs on Wednesday, Former Tory attorney general Dominic Grieve has said.

Mr Grieve, who was sacked by Mr Johnson over Brexit in 2019, told Sky News: “Mr Johnson certainly does appear to have a considerable problem. He attended some of the gatherings which were parties, and yet he said that there weren’t any gatherings.

“And it’s a bit difficult therefore to understand how he didn’t know that there had been parties going on at Number 10 Downing Street.

“So Mr Johnson’s got a lot of explaining to do, and of course that is against the background of somebody who has a serial reputation for telling untruths whenever it suits him.”

Starmer accuses Johnson of trying to ‘intimidate’ MPs on Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 10:20 , Andy Gregory

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of trying to “intimidate” MPs investigating him over the Partygate scandal.

The Labour leader has given his full backing to an attack on Mr Johnson’s response to the inquiry by shadow minister Thangam Debbinaire, who claimed the former PM had shown “utter disdain for standards in public life” by trying to “discredit” the committee investigating him.

Ms Debbonaire, Labour’s shadow Commons leader, said on Sunday: “Boris Johnson’s attempts to discredit the inquiry shows the utter disdain he has for standards in public life. It’s vital that this well-respected committee, a majority of whom are Tory MPs, can carry out their evidence session without intimidation.”

My colleagues Thomas Kingsley and Adam Forrest have our exclusive report:

Starmer accuses Johnson of ‘intimidating’ MPs probing Partygate scandal

Johnson allies seek to put pressure on Partygate committee

Monday 20 March 2023 10:08 , Andy Gregory

Allies of Boris Johnson are seeking to put pressure on the committee of MPs investigating him over Partygate.

Lord Cruddas, the former Tory party treasurer who launched the Conservative Democratic Organisation (CDO) after Mr Johnson was kicked out of No 10, has led claims the committee is a “stitch-up”.

Conservative Post, a website affiliated with CDO, has urged party members to email the four Tory MPs who sit on the committee and urge them to quit the “banana republic” inquiry.

The draft emails members are encouraged to send warn the MPs – Alberto Costa, Sir Bernard Jenkin, Andy Carter and Laura Farris – of “deep concern and disappointment over your participation in the Labour-led investigation”.

One ex-minister told The Independent that Mr Johnson’s tactics were clear – explaining that he had “tooled up” legally and would try to hide behind advice on parties taken from No 10 officials, while his allies continue to make “insinuations” about the committee being tied to the work of Ms Gray.

Johnson ‘to argue committee is biased and Partygate probe is unlawful’

Monday 20 March 2023 09:44 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will argue that the committee investigating him over Partygate is “biased” and its probe is “unlawful”, according to The Times.

In his defence, the former PM will reportedly point to tweets from privileges committee chair Harriet Harman claiming he “knowingly lied”, and will claim that the inquiry is unlawful because the burden of proof is too low.

Elements of Conservative Party ‘still delusional’ about Boris Johnson, says former Tory minister

Monday 20 March 2023 09:11 , Andy Gregory

Elements of the Conservative Party are “still delusional” about Boris Johnson, former attorney general Dominic Grieve has said.

It was put to Mr Grieve on Sky News that Mr Johnson is popular within the party and that there is a growing view that it will take someone of Mr Johnson’s character to lead the Tories in the future.

However, Mr Grieve – one of 21 Tory MPs fired by Mr Johnson over Brexit in 2019 – said: “I’m afraid that just shows that elements of the Conservative Party are still delusional about Mr Johnson, and if they want to continue along that path it’s a matter for them.

“But Mr Johnson is not going to help the Conservative Party’s electoral fortunes.”

Sunak supporters fear return of Tory ‘psychodrama'

Monday 20 March 2023 08:45 , Andy Gregory

Rishi Sunak supporters in the Tory party fear some of the positive headlines which followed the Brexit deal with the EU and Jeremy Hunt’s Budget will be undone by a return of the “psychodrama” brought by Boris Johnson’s hearing.

One ex-minister told The Independent it would be a distracting “sideshow”.

Rishi Sunak said last week that he would not seek to influence MPs on the privileges committee, and indicated he would grant a free vote to Conservative MPs on any sanction that may be recommended.

Asked if he was not concerned that a suspension of more than 10 days could trigger a by-election in Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, Mr Sunak added: “This is a matter for Parliament, for the House. It’s not right for the government to get involved.”

Two thirds of voters want Boris Johnson to step down as MP if he misled parliament

Monday 20 March 2023 08:21 , Andy Gregory

An exclusive new poll for The Independent has found two in three voters think Boris Johnson should stand down as an MP if the parliamentary probe finds that he misled MPs over Partygate.

In response to the poll results, Mr Johnson’s spokesperson said it showed the majority of people who were asked “want Boris Johnson to stay in parliament”.

Chris Hopkins, director of Savanta, said that Mr Johnson’s “interventions in UK politics are increasingly unpopular and potentially damaging for the government and Rishi Sunak”.

The pollster added: “The public are starting to see the fruition of pragmatic and sensible leadership, and the spectre of Johnson does little but undermine Sunak’s new approach.”

Savanta’s latest survey for The Independent also found that almost two-thirds of the British public (65 per cent) are against the idea of Stanley Johnson receiving a knighthood. Only 14 per cent are in favour.

Our political correspondent Adam Forrest and politics editor Kate Devlin have the full report:

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

Boris Johnson urged to ‘tell the truth’ at Partygate hearings

Monday 20 March 2023 08:15 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson has been urged to “tell the truth” and “be serious for once” at this week’s Partygate grilling, as Tory MPs fear the televised hearing risks reigniting the Tory “psychodrama” after a good few weeks for Rishi Sunak, report my colleagues Adam Forrest and Kate Devlin.

Senior Tory MPs told The Independent it would be unwise for Mr Johnson to try to attack the committee or former civil servant Sue Gray on Wednesday – urging him to “cooperate” and answer honestly.

Allies of Mr Johnson attempted to undermine the inquiry, calling it a “McCarthyite witchhunt” and put pressure on four Tory MPs on the committee to quit.

Sir Bob Neill, the chair of the Commons Justice select committee, called on Boris to “tell the truth” in front of MPs. He told The Independent: “I would say just tell the truth. Just be straight and serious for once ... But I would not hold my breath”.

Sir Bob described the hearing as an “irritation” – but hopes that “in the longer term might remind people as to how things have improved” under Rishi Sunak.

One former Tory minister said Mr Johnson should “fully cooperate and be helpful” to the committee if he wanted to retain any support from Tory MPs ahead of any punishment recommended by the group.

Boris Johnson should quit as MP if he lied over Partygate, says two-thirds of public

What to expect from Boris Johnson’s ‘bombshell’ dossier

Monday 20 March 2023 08:12 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will this week submit a 50-page defence dossier to the privileges committee, and allies said he would provide a “detailed and compelling” account showing that he “did not knowingly mislead the House”.

The Sunday Times reported he will point to a series of previously undisclosed WhatsApp messages from senior civil servants and members of his No 10 team showing that he had relied upon their advice when he made his statements to Parliament.

He will also publish messages which show that other senior figures in Downing Street believed the gatherings were covered by the “workplace exemption” in the lockdown rules. And The Telegraph reported that his “bombshell defence dossier” will contain “new evidence that helps his case”.

“His case is that he told Parliament what he believed to be true at the time. There is documentary evidence which will show that he was advised to say what he went on and said,” it reported.

Boris Johnson to submit ‘bombshell defence dossier’ in bid to clear name over Partygate

Monday 20 March 2023 08:10 , Andy Gregory

Boris Johnson will submit a “bombshell defence dossier” of evidence to MPs which he believes will exonerate him, allies told the Sunday Telegraph, as he attempts to clear his name over allegations he misled parliament over the Partygate scandal.

The former prime minister will provide the statement to the privileges committee as he battles to save his political career before appearing in front of the panel on Wednesday for a televised grilling.

In an interim report, the privileges committee said the evidence strongly suggests breaches of coronavirus rules in No 10 should have been “obvious” to Mr Johnson. They are examining evidence around at least four occasions when he may have deliberately misled MPs.

Boris Johnson ‘has bombshell defence dossier to clear name over Partygate’

Monday 20 March 2023 08:04 , Andy Gregory

Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage as Boris Johnson prepares to hand over a 50 page dossier to MPs investigating him over the Partygate scandal, which allies claim will provide a “bombshell” defence.