'Partygate scandal': 5 key takeaways from committee report accusing Boris Johnson of lockdown parties

London, UK

A UK parliamentary committee has released a report stating that former prime minister Boris Johnson intentionally deceived lawmakers regarding his knowledge of numerous parties that violated lockdown restrictions at his office and government buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee, consisting of seven members from both the Conservative Party and opposition parties, was established in April 2022 to investigate Johnson's actions during the "Partygate" scandal, which involved unauthorised gatherings attended by Johnson and his staff. The findings of the committee ultimately contributed to Boris Johnson's downfall.

Here are the key findings from the report

1. Investigation 

The committee's main objective was to examine Johnson's statements to the House of Commons regarding gatherings at Downing Street between 2020 and 2021. They assessed whether any misleading statements were genuine errors or intentional and reckless acts, as well as whether corrective actions were taken promptly.

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The committee emphasised that this investigation was of significant importance, as misleading the House of Commons is a matter that strikes at the core of democracy.

2. Details of the gatherings

The report provided evidence of six gatherings held in government buildings, contrary to the strict social distancing rules that Johnson himself had been advocating for on television.

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These events included farewell parties for staff and a Christmas drinks event. Johnson was present at some of these gatherings, including one in May 2020 where alcohol was provided, and over 200 people were invited. Another event took place in June 2020 in the Cabinet Room to celebrate Johnson's birthday, with at least 17 other attendees present. Johnson and others were later fined by the police.

3. Johnson's statements on these events

Johnson repeatedly assured parliament that all COVID-19 rules and guidelines were followed at Downing Street and claimed to have relied on advisors' repeated assurances that no rules were broken. He argued that the gatherings were essential for work purposes, specifically to boost staff morale.

4. Committee's conclusions

The committee concluded that as the leading promoter of the government's COVID-19 rules and guidance, Johnson was fully aware of what was not permitted at the time and had knowledge of rule breaches at Downing Street.

UK parliamentary committee deemed it highly improbable that he genuinely believed the rules were being followed. It determined that Johnson misled parliament by failing to disclose his awareness of the rule-breaking events, stating that he deliberately distorted his statements to avoid their true meaning. They characterised his conduct as intentional and serious contempt of the House.

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“We came to the view that some of Mr Johnson’s denials and explanations were so disingenuous that they were by their very nature deliberate attempts to mislead the Committee and the House, while others demonstrated deliberation because of the frequency with which he closed his mind to the truth,” the report said, adding, “We conclude that Mr Johnson’s conduct was deliberate and that he has committed a serious contempt of the House."

5. Sanctions proposed

The committee recommended a 90-day suspension for Johnson from the House of Commons due to his repeated contempt and attempts to undermine the parliamentary process.

Additionally, they suggested revoking his former member's pass to access parliament's grounds. However, Johnson preemptively avoided suspension by resigning as a lawmaker before the report's publication.

Lawmakers are set to vote on Monday on whether to uphold the committee's recommendations, and Johnson's supporters may propose amendments to reduce the proposed sanctions. One interesting point to note here is that even if the sanctions are imposed, they would not prevent Johnson from seeking re-election as a lawmaker in the future.