UK’s Boris Johnson launches new ‘partygate’ defence, denies breaching ministerial code
- Johnson could face a no-confidence vote among his own MPs following numerous parties held in Downing Street, breaching coronavirus lockdown rules
- Johnson became the first serving UK prime minister found to have broken the law while in office when he was fined by police for attending a birthday party in June 2020
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday denied breaching the UK government’s ministerial code of conduct, as he bids to head off a growing Conservative revolt over the “partygate” scandal.
Former Conservative leader William Hague said Johnson could face a no-confidence vote among his own MPs as soon as next week, following numerous lockdown-breaching parties held in Downing Street.
Johnson became the first serving UK prime minister found to have broken the law while in office when he was fined by police for attending a birthday party in June 2020 during the country’s coronavirus lockdown.
Although he has apologised, Johnson has repeatedly refused to resign, and doubled down on his defence in a letter to his independent adviser on ministerial interests, Christopher Geidt.
Lord Geidt issued an annual report laying out the need for Johnson to explain why he had not breached the ministerial code, in light of the police fine.
Under previous governments, violations of the code were considered a resigning offence, but Johnson has already stood by others in his ministerial team found to have been in breach.
Responding to Geidt, Johnson said “I did not breach the code”.
There was “no intent to break the law”, he said, insisting he had been “fully accountable” to parliament “and rightly apologised for the mistake”.