A committee of British MPs from different parties began an interrogation of the former prime minister on Wednesday. Boris Johnson about his statements in the framework of the scandal known as ‘partygate’, the outcome of which could have serious consequences for his political future.
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The seven legislators seek to determine whether the former conservative leader knowingly lied when he assured Parliament that all the anti-covid rules had been respected in the numerous social gatherings held at their offices during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
The former prime minister told the parliamentary committee this Wednesday that he did not lie to Parliament when he said in his day that the anti-covid measures in force had been followed.
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“I did not lie to Parliament”Johnson said bluntly at the beginning of his statement today before the House of Commons Privileges committee, which seeks to clarify whether the politician deliberately misled the chamber about parties during the pandemic.
After swearing on a bible, the former conservative leader insisted that he assumed “full responsibility” for what happened and that everything he said in his day was done in “good faith.”
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In his statement, Johnson said the committee’s goal is “to find out whether or not I lied to Parliament, whether I willfully misled my colleagues and the country about what I knew and believed about those meetings when I said the rules and regulations had been followed.” Guidelines at 10 (Downing Street)”.
“I am here to tell you candidly that I did not lie” and “when those statements were made, they were made in good faith and based on what I honestly knew and believed at the time,” he said.
I am here to tell you honestly that I did not lie.
In addition, he accused the commission that is investigating him of not having made public the evidence that, in his opinion, would exonerate him from the charges against him, which he considered “manifestly unfair.”
On the offensive from the beginning of his statement, Johnson considered that if it had been “obvious” to him that the rules of social distancing were violated in those meetings – as the committee judged in its preliminary conclusions – it would also have been for the rest of those present in them, “including the current prime minister”, Rishi Sunak.
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The chair of the committee, Labor Harriet Harman, said at the beginning of the session – which has generated great media attention – that its objective is to decide whether or not Johnson misled the House of Commons, whether he was in contempt and whether it was intentional or reckless. .
Harman stressed that fooling the House may seem like a technical problem, but it is a matter of great importance.
If the ministers do not tell the truth, then the deputies cannot do their job and democracy is harmed, stressed the Labor partyand insisted that the ministers are obliged to correct as soon as possible if they recognize that they have made mistakes.
Johnson left power on September 6 as a result of the scandal, after being fined by the Police and after the official Sue Gray released her independent report on “partygate”, in which she criticized parties and excessive party culture. alcohol in the official residence.
The appearance of the former chief executive of the United Kingdom is relevant because his political future may depend on the conclusions reached by the deputies of the committee.
In case they establish that Johnson lied knowingly, the deputies of the committee can recommend that he be suspended from the Lower House, of which he is a part as a parliamentarian for the constituency of Uxbridge (northwest London).
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With AFP
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