Boris Johnson was forced to resign last summer after a succession of scandals, foremost among which were parties in Downing Street during the confinements imposed due to the pandemic.
New accusations against Boris Johnson, suspicions of cabal, threats of lawsuits the “partygate” crisis returned to agitate political life in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, almost a year after the departure of the former Prime Minister who stay in the middle of the game.
The charismatic leader, still an MP, remains very influential in the conservative majority and his political future is the subject of endless speculation, between a possible return to power or an ousting from Parliament in the context of the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the “party gate”.
The case took a new twist on Tuesday evening when the Times revealed that the Cabinet Office, a large ministry in charge of cross-cutting issues, had reported new elements to the police.
According to London Police
London police say they are “assessing” the evidence for “potential” breaches of anti-Covid rules at Downing Street between June 2020 and May 2021. Police have also received a report of events at Chequers, the country residence of British Prime Ministers.
“No contact was established with Mr Johnson before these incorrect assertions were made”, denounced the services of Boris Johnson, explaining that his lawyer had contacted the police to explain himself. “It’s both bizarre and unacceptable.” ‘Whatever political objective is pursued, it is clear that this is a last-ditch attempt to prolong the (parliamentary) inquiry as it was coming to an end and to weaken Mr Johnson’ , is it written in this press release.
The parliamentary committee of inquiry in question must determine whether Boris Johnson lied to Parliament by repeatedly claiming that all health restrictions had been respected in Downing Street. The leader has already been fined in this case, like current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, then Minister of Finance.
A spokesman for Boris Johnson quoted by several British media went further, calling the latest allegations a “politically motivated set-up” coming from “inside government”.
In March, heard for more than three hours by the commission investigating these Downing Street parties, Boris Johnson said “hand on heart” that he had not lied to Parliament. This case could go so far as to cost him his seat as a deputy.
Boris Johnson, who is about to celebrate his 59th birthday and have his eighth child, has not hidden his desire to return to power, even if he has converted by speaking at conferences which bring him back million. The new elements implicating it appeared in the context of the preparation of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the management of the pandemic.
Its president on Wednesday published a letter addressed to the Cabinet Office at the end of April to protest because she had only received censored versions of the documents in question. Heather Hallet is threatening the ministry with legal action if it does not send her certain documents and messages sent or received by Boris Johnson by next Tuesday.
Asked about these new adventures in the “partygate” affair, a spokesperson for the current Prime Minister completely ruled out the presence of Mr. Sunak in the Checkers country residence in violation of anti-Covid rules.
He also dismissed accusations from some allies of Boris Johnson who believe that their champion, who has just parted ways with his government-funded lawyers, is the victim of a witch hunt to prevent him from returning to power.
“To be very clear, the ministers were not at all involved in the decision to pass information to the police”, assured this spokesperson.
This article is originally published on lalibre.be