The MPs on the committee divvied up the attack on Mr Johnson, taking it in turns to grill the ex-PM He said Downing Street had plenty of other anti-Covid measures in place such as sanitisers, screens and regular testing. I accept that perfect social distancing, Sir Bernard, is not being observed, but that does not mean it was incompatible with the guidance which allowed exemptions'. We were following the guidance to the best of our ability. Mr Johnson protested: 'Human beings occasionally drift into each other's orbit. Mr Johnson said the Covid guidance was intended to be followed 'where possible', and that the confines of No 10 make it 'impossible to practice social distancing with an electric forcefield around every individual'.Ī photo of the PM raising a glass to the gathering was shown. Why then, asked Sir Bernard, did photos show Mr Johnson addressing a group standing closely together at a leaving event on November 13, 2020, for outgoing communications chief Lee Cain? 'There is no doubt you knew the rules?' he asked. Sir Bernard Jenkin went first, reminding Mr Johnson how he had repeatedly urged the nation to conduct social distancing in his pandemic press conferences and Commons speeches. Ms Harman (pictured) opened proceedings for Mr Johnson giving evidence to the Committee at the House of Commons The MPs on the committee then divvied up the attack, taking it in turns to grill the ex-PM – his Tory colleagues appearing the keenest. He finished his statement with a tribute to his officials who 'should be immensely proud of their efforts to protect this country from that loathsome disease', and said: 'I am proud to have known and worked with those officials and I am proud to have given them leadership.' Mr Johnson summed up by saying: 'I apologise, I apologise for inadvertently misleading this house – but to say I did it recklessly or deliberately is completely untrue, as the evidence shows.' To the committee's contention that it must have been 'obvious' to him he was breaking rules, he said if that was the case then it would have been obvious to dozens of other senior people in the building too – including Rishi Sunak. And the police agreed he had done nothing wrong, he said, because he did not receive a fine for attending any of the events. Referring to events to mark staff leaving, he said that to the day he dies he will believe it was his job as PM to thank them for their hard work. He said it was just not possible to have a 'drill sergeant measuring the distance between us at all hours of the day or night'. When I made those statements, I made them in good faith.' He told the committee: 'That was wrong, I bitterly regret it, I understand the public anger and I continue to apologise for what happened on my watch.'Īnd he said he knew he was being judged on whether or not he had lied to parliament about it, but added: 'I am here to say to you, hand on heart, I did not lie to the House. He began with a smooth admission that there had been a number of gatherings in Downing Street that had gone 'past the point where they could be said to be necessary for work purposes'. Mr Johnson placed his hand on the bible and swore before 'Almighty God' to tell the truth. To get the committee in the mood, she played a short collection of Mr Johnson's remarks to the Commons, before demanding of her witness: 'Administer the oath!' She said: 'We need to understand why Mr Johnson said to parliament that no rules or guidance were broken, when he knew what the rules were and was present at events where the rules and guidance were breached.' He has already apologised for making misleading statements, but they must decide whether he acted 'recklessly or intentionally'. Their task, she said, was to decide whether or not Mr Johnson deliberately misled the House when he told the Commons in December 2020 that Covid rules and guidance had been followed at all times during the pandemic. After months of build-up, leaks and behind-the-scenes squabbles, Boris Johnson (pictured) finally had his 'day in court' yesterdayĬommittee chairman Ms Harman opened the hearing by insisting the committee of seven MPs – four Conservative, two Labour and one SNP - were non-partisan and left their party interests at the door.
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