Boris Johnson faces TV grilling by MPs over 'partygate' accusations

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson today faces a televised grilling by MPs investigating claims he knowingly misled Parliament over the 'partygate' affair in a hearing which could determine his future as a MP.

Mr Johnson is expected to be questioned for around four hours by the Commons Privileges Committee over his denials of No 10 parties during the pandemic in violation of lockdown rules. If he is found to have deliberately misled the House then he could be suspended as a MP, potentially leading to a by-election in his west London constituency.

The Privileges Committee is a Commons committee that has been charged with undertaking a parliamentary investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to MPs.

This is not the first time that MPs have considered whether an individual is in contempt of Parliament, but it is perhaps one of the most high-profile cases. The committee, a seven-member cross-party body, is examining evidence from at least four occasions when Mr Johnson may have misled MPs with his assurances to the Commons that lockdown rules were followed.

The committee will publish its findings on whether Mr Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament and can make a recommendation on any punishment, but the ultimate decision will lie with the full House of Commons.

Ahead of the hearing, Mr Johnson acknowledged some of the statements he made when the story first broke at the end of 2021 had been wrong, but insisted they had not been “intentionally or recklessly” misleading.

He said claims no rules or guidelines had been broken and that there had been no parties had been made “in good faith” based on assurances he had been given by his advisers, including former No 10 communications director Jack Doyle.

However an interim