Boris Johnson ordered to hand documents to partygate investigators

The Commons Privileges Committee is examining whether the PM lied to Parliament over the scandal.

Boris Johnson has been ordered to handover documents to MPs investigating his claims surrounding partygate (PA) (PA Wire)

Boris Johnson has been ordered to hand over a cache of documents to MPs investigating whether he lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.

The Commons Privileges Committee has written to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case demanding details relevant to its inquiry.

These include Mr Johnson’s diaries for eight days during the partying period, email invites, resignation emails and WhatsApp messages, and No 10 entry logs.

Harriet Harman, the senior MP chairing the investigation, wrote to the pair giving them the deadline of August 15 to hand over the documents.

Partygate is among the scandals to have forced Mr Johnson from office (PA) (PA Wire)

The Covid law breaking parties in Downing Street were among the scandals to force Mr Johnson’s resignation as Tory leader, and his successor will become the next prime minister in September.

But the committee’s investigation threatens to further tarnish his legacy and could impact on his future as the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

The request for Mr Johnson’s diary entries relate to dates between May 2020 and January last year when numerous rule-breaking gatherings were held in Downing Street and Whitehall.

The request for No 10 entry logs on June 19 and November 13 2020 centre on Mr Johnson’s birthday gathering, over which he was fined, and an event in his Downing Street flat.

All photos by Mr Johnson’s official photographer Andrew Parsons on the dates in question were also requested.

Electronic invites for any of the events were demanded, as were briefing notes for Commons appearances where Mr Johnson may have misled the House and records of civil servants being disciplined.

So too were details of any relevant documents that may have been deleted.

Downing Street could not guarantee it would provide the committee with all requested evidence.

As we've said before, we will assist the committee in their inquiries but once we've had the time to look at the letters and requests we'll set out our response to the committee

No 10 spokesman

A No 10 spokesman said: “You will appreciate that we have recently received those letters and requests which we’ll now take a proper look at.

“As we’ve said before, we will assist the committee in their inquiries but once we’ve had the time to look at the letters and requests we’ll set out our response to the committee.”

Oral evidence sessions in the inquiry are expected to begin in the autumn.