Boris Johnson will present a dossier of evidence to parliamentarians as he tries to clear his name over the Partygate scandal, according to reports.
The former prime minister will provide the statement to the Privileges Committee on Wednesday.
Former colleagues have said the former prime minister could face a “witch hunt” in Parliament, due to a series of meetings held at Number 10 during the pandemic.
Johnson will appear before the panel for televised cross-examination and is expected to present his written evidence before then.
In an interim report, the Committee on Privileges said the evidence strongly suggests that the coronavirus rule breaches in No. 10 should have been “obvious” to Johnson.
They are examining evidence around at least four different events where he may have deliberately misled MPs with his assurances to the House of Commons that the rules were followed.
Johnson’s close allies said he would provide a “detailed and compelling” account to the committee before his appearance, showing he “did not knowingly mislead the House.”
His Tory colleague Lord Kirkhope warned against the “nonsense” of lobbying MPs in committee.
“I’m a bit concerned about the amount of lobbying that has been brought to bear by a small number of our MPs on that committee which, of course, has a majority, a Conservative majority, but it’s not a committee that’s really meant to work along party lines, and I hope it doesn’t. I think they should resist that,’ he told Times Radio.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, said he was sure Johnson would give a “solid defense” this morning.
He told Sky News on Sunday: “I am sure Boris Johnson will make a strong defense of himself and then it will be the committee that determines the result.”
Asked if there will be a free vote for Conservative MPs if the committee recommends sanctions, Dowden said it is “standard practice” on House business.
“I’m not sure any final decisions have been made, but that would be the precedent we would hope to follow,” he said.
Lord Greenhalgh said he hopes Johnson gets a “fair and fair hearing” but raised concerns about the Committee on Privileges process.
The pair, who were deputy mayors when Johnson was on London City Council and became a minister under him as prime minister, backed a campaign calling on Conservative MPs on the committee to withdraw from ‘kangaroo court’.
Asked if he thinks the four Conservatives should stand down, he told Times Radio: “I choose my words more carefully than that.” I’m worried it’s a witch hunt.
He said he is “concerned that we are going to have a McCarthyite approach to justice in the Committee on Privileges”, a reference to US Senator Joseph McCarthy’s zealous efforts to find communist sympathizers in the 1950s.
“I certainly hope Parliament gets the process right and the former prime minister gets a fair and just hearing,” Lord Greenhalgh said.
“We want speedy justice, and I think this has gone on too long, and we also want sure justice.”
In an interim report, the Committee on Privileges said the evidence strongly suggests that the coronavirus rule breaches in No. 10 should have been “obvious” to Johnson.
They are examining evidence on at least four occasions that he may have deliberately misled MPs with his assurances to the House of Commons that the rules were followed.
Johnson’s allies said he would provide a “detailed and compelling” account to the committee before his appearance, showing that he “did not knowingly mislead the House.”
The Sunday Times reported that it will point to a series of previously undisclosed WhatsApp messages from senior officials and members of his 10 team that show he had relied on their advice when he made his remarks to Parliament.
It will also publish messages showing that other senior figures in Downing Street believed the meetings were covered by the “workplace exemption” in the lockdown rules.
The committee inquiry is chaired by Labor Harriet Harman, although the seven-member panel has a Conservative majority.
The committee will publish its findings on whether Johnson was in contempt of Parliament and make a recommendation on any punishment, but the final decision will rest with the full House of Commons.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he will not try to influence parliamentarians on the committee and has indicated he will give Conservative MPs a free vote on any recommended sanctions.
A suspension of 10 days or more for Johnson could ultimately trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, which he held with a majority of 7,210 in 2019.
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