Partygate: Boris Johnson fights for survival as Rishi Sunak tries to stay out of it

By Lewis Denison, ITV News Westminster Producer

Boris Johnson's dossier of Partygate evidence, defending himself against allegations he lied to MPs about Covid-rule-breaking on Downing Street, will be published later today.

The document, said to be up to 40 pages long, was passed to the Privileges Committee before it questions him over claims he committed contempt of Parliament - a charge which could see him lose his seat.

If the Committee decides he "recklessly" or "intentionally" mislead Parliament, it could recommend a suspension from Parliament which could trigger a by-election if the suspension is for ten days or more.

But he's not getting any support from his successor and former ally Rishi Sunak, who is trying his best not to get sucked back into the Partygate saga which saw him fined along with Mr Johnson for breaking coronavirus regulations.

Mr Sunak said he would not tell his MPs how to vote on any sanction that may be recommended, telling the BBC: "These are matters for Parliament and the House and MPs as individuals, rather than for government."

The former prime minister and MPs close to him have been trying to discredit the investigation, with ex-ministers in his government labelling it a "left-wing stitch up".

They believe the inquiry's integrity has been compromised because its chair is veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman, who they accuse of previously tweeting her views on the matter.

Many are also taking issue with the inquiry's use of evidence gathered by Sue Gray, the former civil servant who carried out a separate investigation into rule breaking on Downing Street who is now set to join Labour as its chief of staff.

Mr Sunak, asked whether he agreed with the portrayal of the inquiry as a witch hunt by some of Mr Johnson's allies, said: "That's ultimately something for Boris Johnson and he'll have the committee process to go through and that's a matter for Parliament. That's not what I'm focused on."

Conor Burns, a Tory MP who served as a minister in Mr Johnson’s government, has accused committee chair and Labour grandee Harriet Harman of "predetermining" the inquiry.

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He raised a tweet posted by Ms Harman in April 2022, where she wrote that if (Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak) admit guilt, by which she said was accepting a fixed penalty notice, then they are also admitting that they misled the House of Commons.

Tory peer Lord Greenhalgh backed a campaign for the four Conservative MPs on the Tory-majority committee to pull out of the “kangaroo court”.

The PM's official spokesman responded by saying Mr Sunak “firmly believes it’s a matter for Parliament”, adding: “Parliament empowered the committee to carry out its work.”

He endorsed Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt’s warning that “a very dim view will be taken” of anyone who “tries to prevent them from carrying out this serious work”.

She also said the committee must be able to “work without fear or favour”.

Mr Sunak’s spokesman added: “We think this is a committee that’s carrying out a function asked to by Parliament, it’s a parliamentary matter, and the Leader of the House set out how we would want parliamentarians to engage with it.”

Downing Street was also forced to deny it had delayed key announcements because of the distraction that will be caused by Mr Johnson’s inquiry appearance.

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“It’s wrong to suggest government business changed as a result of this committee hearing,” the spokesman said.

The hearing clashes with a key vote on Mr Sunak’s new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, which Democratic Unionist Party MPs plan to oppose.

An estimated £220,000 of taxpayers’ money has been allocated for Mr Johnson’s legal bills.

On Monday, an ally of Mr Johnson said: “Boris’s formal submission has been made to the committee today, as planned.

“The committee control the timing of publication. We encourage them to publish it as soon as possible.”