Privileges Committee Report Finds Boris Johnson Lied to Parliament

The Privileges Committee has published its report into allegations that Boris Johnson lied to Parliament about parties held at Downing Street during the COVID-19 lockdown. The report found that Johnson had "deliberately misled" Parliament on multiple occasions, and recommended that he be suspended from the House of Commons for 15 days.

The Privileges Committee has published its report into allegations that Boris Johnson lied to Parliament about parties held at Downing Street during the COVID-19 lockdown. The report found that Johnson had "deliberately misled" Parliament on multiple occasions, and recommended that he be suspended from the House of Commons for 15 days.

The report's findings are a major blow to Johnson, who has been under increasing pressure to resign since the partygate scandal first broke. The report's conclusion that he lied to Parliament is likely to further erode public trust in him, and could lead to calls for him to step down as Prime Minister.

What the Report Found

The Privileges Committee's report found that Johnson had misled Parliament on four occasions:

• On December 8, 2021, Johnson told Parliament that "no rules were broken" at Downing Street parties.
• On January 12, 2022, Johnson told Parliament that he was "not aware of any parties" being held at Downing Street.
• On February 17, 2022, Johnson told Parliament that he had "believed" that all COVID-19 rules had been followed at Downing Street.
• On April 1, 2022, Johnson told Parliament that he had "no reason to believe" that any parties had broken the law.

The report found that Johnson's statements were "not true" and that he had "deliberately misled" Parliament.

What the Report Means for Johnson

The Privileges Committee's report is a major blow to Johnson. The report's conclusion that he lied to Parliament is likely to further erode public trust in him, and could lead to calls for him to step down as Prime Minister.

Under the Ministerial Code, a minister who is found to have misled Parliament is expected to resign. However, Johnson has so far refused to resign, and it is unclear whether he will do so even in the face of the Privileges Committee's report.

If Johnson does not resign, he could face a vote of no confidence from his own party. A vote of no confidence would be triggered if 15% of Conservative MPs write letters to the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. If Johnson loses a vote of no confidence, he will be forced to resign as Prime Minister.

Here are 5 FAQs about the Privileges Committee Report:

What is the Privileges Committee?

The Privileges Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct by Members of Parliament.

What did the Privileges Committee investigate?

The Privileges Committee investigated allegations that Boris Johnson had misled Parliament about parties held at Downing Street during the COVID-19 lockdown.

What did the Privileges Committee find?

The Privileges Committee found that Johnson had "deliberately misled" Parliament on multiple occasions, and recommended that he be suspended from the House of Commons for 15 days.

What does the Privileges Committee's report mean for Boris Johnson?

The Privileges Committee's report is a major blow to Johnson. The report's conclusion that he lied to Parliament is likely to further erode public trust in him, and could lead to calls for him to step down as Prime Minister.

What happens next?

It is not yet clear what will happen next. Johnson has so far refused to resign, and it is unclear whether he will do so even in the face of the Privileges Committee's report. If Johnson does not resign, he could face a vote of no confidence from his own party. A vote of no confidence would be triggered if 15% of Conservative MPs write letters to the chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. If Johnson loses a vote of no confidence, he will be forced to resign as Prime Minister.

Conclusion

The Privileges Committee's report is a major development in the partygate scandal. The report's findings are a serious indictment of Johnson, and could lead to his resignation as Prime Minister. It remains to be seen whether Johnson will resign, but the report has certainly made his position more precarious.