Boris Johnson will be found to have committed “multiple” contempts of parliament in a report into whether he lied to MPs with his partygate denials, according to people close to the inquiry.
The report by the House of Commons privileges committee is to be published on Thursday following a 14-month investigation.
Two people close to the committee claim that the report reveals that Johnson had made “a number of contempts” of parliament, which includes misleading MPs about Downing Street parties held during Covid lockdowns.
The report will also reportedly condemn MPs who have criticised its probe.
Two people close to the committee claim that the report reveals that Johnson had made 'a number of contempts' of parliament
PAThe committee have been investigating whether Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs either recklessly or deliberately by denying rule-breaking parties in No 10.
He quit parliament last week after receiving a copy of the committee’s report.
The former Prime Minister has branded the committee, which is chaired by Labour grandee Harriet Harman, a "kangaroo court".
According to one source close to the committee, Johnson’s decision to release some of the panel’s draft conclusions last Friday had been found to be a contempt.
"There is reference [in the report] to other issues beyond simply the contempt of parliament in what [Johnson] said at the [Commons] despatch box [about Downing Street parties]," the source told The Financial Times.
“Disclosing the outcome of the inquiry is itself a contempt of parliament. It is clear cut, it does not require further investigation.”
Dominic Grieve, a former member of the Commons privileges committee and ex-Tory attorney-general, said Johnson would have been given the draft report in confidence before speaking out about its contents.
He said: “If he breached that confidence, then he has acted in contempt of the committee. I don’t think there’s a grey area.”
The committee have been investigating whether Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs either recklessly or deliberately by denying rule-breaking parties in No 10
PAIn a statement, Johnson said: “I am not guilty of any contempt of parliament and did not knowingly or wittingly mislead the Commons.”
One of the people close to the committee said: “Parliament regulates its own affairs. The courts are not involved. If it can’t do so in a reasonable manner, there is a question mark about the future independence of the privileges system.”
It comes after Johnson has demanded that a Tory MP resigns from the partygate probe over claims he may have broken lockdown rules.
Sir Bernard Jenkin - who is sitting on the committee preparing to publish a report into whether Johnson lied to MPs with his partygate denials - has been accused of attending a gathering during lockdown.
