Revelation is part of fresh evidence published ahead of former PM’s Partygate evidence to the privileges committee
In its report earlier this month the privileges committee said there was evidence that Boris Johnson sometimes used to join the regular Friday night drinks events in the No 10 press office. The report said that information came from evidence submitted to the committee, but it did not supply the quote.
Now we’ve got it. It is attributed to a No 10 official, who said that Johnson could have stopped these gathering if he wanted to. The official said:
The former prime minister often saw and joined these gatherings, either he was invited by Spads [special advisers] or spotted them whilst walking up to his flat.
The route he took down the corridor looks straight into the press room and vestibule so it’s impossible not to see.
The fourth report contains an opaque reference to Friday night “press pffice gatherings” which I am said to have “occasionally joined” (at §21). No further detail is provided, and no such specific events are identified by the committee. Insofar as any allegation is made by the committee, it is incumbent on the committee to make it so that I can respond to it. That is particularly so if the committee are referring to an event that has never previously been identified or investigated by Sue Gray or the Metropolitan police.
Continue reading…Revelation is part of fresh evidence published ahead of former PM’s Partygate evidence to the privileges committeeIn its report earlier this month the privileges committee said there was evidence that Boris Johnson sometimes used to join the regular Friday night drinks events in the No 10 press office. The report said that information came from evidence submitted to the committee, but it did not supply the quote.Now we’ve got it. It is attributed to a No 10 official, who said that Johnson could have stopped these gathering if he wanted to. The official said:The former prime minister often saw and joined these gatherings, either he was invited by Spads [special advisers] or spotted them whilst walking up to his flat.The route he took down the corridor looks straight into the press room and vestibule so it’s impossible not to see.The fourth report contains an opaque reference to Friday night “press pffice gatherings” which I am said to have “occasionally joined” (at §21). No further detail is provided, and no such specific events are identified by the committee. Insofar as any allegation is made by the committee, it is incumbent on the committee to make it so that I can respond to it. That is particularly so if the committee are referring to an event that has never previously been identified or investigated by Sue Gray or the Metropolitan police. Continue reading…