Boris Johnson could be suspended from Commons in WEEKS as latest Partygate inquiry to end
Boris Johnson is awaiting the outcome of the privileges committee inquiry
PA
Boris Johnson could be suspended from the House of Commons in a matter of just weeks, with the latest inquiry into Partygate drawing to a close.
The House of Commons privileges committee is set to report the findings of its investigation within the month.
The cross-party group has been investigating whether the Commons was intentionally misled when the then-Prime Minister told MPs in December 2021 that he was unaware of lockdown rule breaking in No10.
An outcome of the probe is reported to have been delayed in order to not be seen as influencing today's local elections and to avoid overshadowing the King's Coronation.
The former Prime Minister says if the evidence is looked at 'impartially' it will exonerate him
The outcome is set to be released on May 23 or 24, according to the Guardian.
Allies of the former Conservative leader have accused the committee, which is being led by Harriet Harman, of being politically motivated.
Earlier this year, Tory peer Stephen Greenhalgh said: "I personally think he set out that there’s no way he knowingly misled parliament and therefore the committee should be exonerating him.
"I don’t see why he should accept the findings of a politically charged committee if they haven’t got the evidence to prove that he knowingly misled parliament."
Other allies have privately called the probe a "witch-hunt".
Johnson himself has refused to use the terms but warned that "if you study this evidence impartially, you will come to the conclusion" that he has done nothing wrong.
A committee spokesman said: “The members of the privileges committee are MPs who have been appointed to this role by the house.
"The decision to carry out this inquiry was not taken by the privileges committee but by the House of Commons as a whole."
Harriet Harman has been leading the investigation
PA
If the inquiry finds he intentionally misled the House, MPs are set to be asked to endorse a suspension from the Commons.
If the ban on entering Parliament lasts longer than 10 days, it could even lead to a recall petition from constituents and trigger a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat.
Johnson won his seat with a majority of 7,210 in 2019, but polling suggests it will be much tougher fight next time a vote is held.
A spokesman for Johnson said: "The privileges committee will vindicate Boris Johnson’s position.
"The evidence will show that Boris Johnson did not knowingly mislead Parliament."
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