Report: Ex-Ministers Tried to Undermine 'Partygate' Inquiry

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • In the aftermath of the UK's parliamentary Privileges Committee's Partygate report concerning the affairs of former prime minister Boris Johnson, the committee has accused several former and current ministers of having attempted a coordinated campaign to interfere with its investigation.1
  • Individuals accused of attempting to "discredit the committee's conclusions" and "influence the outcome of the inquiry" include Nadine Dorries, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel, and Lord Goldsmith.2
  • A total of 10 individuals have been named within the new report by the committee, including seven current members of parliament and three peers. The report accuses the "sustained interference" into the investigation of Boris Johnson of causing a "significant personal impact" on committee members as well as creating "security concerns."3
  • The 14-page report advises the government to enter a motion into the House of Commons to vote on the committee's conclusions and decide whether the chamber agrees that such actions are in itself "capable of being a contempt" of parliament.4
  • The report, however, affirms that the attempted influence of the Privileges Committee "did not affect the conduct or outcome" of the inquiry. The findings of the report are provisionally scheduled to be considered by lawmakers on July 10th.5
  • The committee contains four Conservative lawmakers, one Scottish National Party lawmaker, and two Labour lawmakers — including its chair, Harriet Harman. Boris Johnson had previously called the committee a "kangaroo court" after it found the former prime minister to have deliberately misled Parliament on COVID parties.6

Sources: 1BBC News, 2LBC, 3Sky News, 4Independent, 5Evening Standard, and 6GB News.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by The Telegraph. Johnson and his supporters' complaints deserve sympathy. The process in which he was ejected from parliament was indeed unfair — chiefly being used not as a means of justice but rather as revenge for Brexit. Both sides are just as bad as each other, and Johnson's enemies are just as hypocritical as he is admittedly selfish.
  • Left narrative, as provided by Guardian. While Johnson has left, so many of the toxic members of his cabinet remain from within Rishi Sunak's government. Johnson's members of parliament have indulged him and supported him at every step, even when he attempted to undermine the Privileges Committee. Only once there is a Labour government can UK politics finally break free from such a right-leaning populist saga.

Predictions