Johnson to Testify Before Parliament Over Partygate Scandal

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will testify before the parliament's Committee of Privileges on March 22 over the parties that were held at his office during the COVID-19 lockdowns as part of an ongoing investigation, the House of Commons said on Tuesday.

In late June 2022, the Committee of Privileges said it was looking for witnesses and evidence to help establish whether Johnson had misled parliament over the COVID-19 parties during his term. On March 3, the committee published a preliminary report detailing cases where the then-prime minister could have misled parliament.

"Mr Johnson has accepted the Committee's invitation to give oral evidence in public, and will be questioned by the Committee from 14:00 [14:00 GMT] on Wednesday 22 March. The session, which will be held in public, will see the Committee's Members, comprised of 4 Conservative, 2 Labour and one SNP [Scottish National Party] Member, question Mr Johnson on a range of matters arising from evidence submitted to its current inquiry," the statement read.

Johnson may be suspended from the House of Commons for 10 days of work if he is proven to have misled parliament. The suspension could serve as a pretext for filing a petition to withdraw his parliamentary mandate.

He has slammed the committee's preliminary report, pointing out it was "culled and orchestrated" by a civil servant affiliated with the Labour Party.

The scandal erupted after it surfaced that several social gatherings had been held at Johnson's offices throughout 2020 and 2021, flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules. The situation was aggravated by the reports that two more parties were held on April 16 of last year, on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral, when the UK still maintained COVID-19 restrictions and was in national mourning. Johnson later apologized and said he had paid the fine issued by the Metropolitan Police.