Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
Supporters of Boris Johnson sought to mount a counterattack despite growing belief within Westminster that the former prime minister’s political future was hanging by a thread.
The 58-year-old Ally continues to try to undermine a Privileges Commission investigation into whether he lied to Congress during the Partygate scandal, with one Johnson Knight calling the investigation “a proper junta.” I’m calling
Mr Johnson’s outlook remains bleak following a grueling interrogation by the commission that lasted nearly three and a half hours.
Thursday morning he awoke to the grim front page of the newspaper. Daily Telegraph, His former employer and biggest supporter, along with Brexit, has declared the Johnsonite movement “imploding”.
But despite growing doubts about his future within Whitehall, his supporters argued the commission’s investigation had gone too far.
One stubborn Johnson said I: “There was nothing new in the commission’s investigation and he was transparent [during the evidence session].
“The Commission was pernicious in its interrogations and, frankly, in its grandstanding. Bernard Jenkin did not cover himself with glory, [committee chair Harriet] Harman has already been found guilty.
“It’s a proper military government,” the parliamentarian added.
Scott Benton, Conservative MP for Blackpool South, went even further, saying Mr Johnson’s taking the oath in the King James Bible was unwise compared to the OJ Simpson murder trial oath. .
write in pro johnson daily express, Mr Benton told the commission that the investigation was a “farce”, adding that the former prime minister should be “not guilty”.
The comments were echoed by other prominent supporters of Mr Johnson. Among them is former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who argued that it was “perfectly reasonable” for the former prime minister to think leaving No 10 drinks would fall under the jurisdiction of Covid regulations. bottom.
Reesemog argued that the evidence presented by Johnson was “very compelling”, adding that Covid regulations at work are “best effort” rules when it comes to social distancing.
“You were allowed to carry out the office’s normal business, so it was perfectly reasonable for the prime minister to think that the farewell party held was the office’s normal business,” he said. told to
But it seems doubtful that the Privileges Committee holds a similar view, and there are those within Johnson’s camp that his belligerent performance on panel questions could lead to even heavier sanctions against him. I have a concern.
The committee is understood to take a very bleak view of Mr Johnson’s proposal that he may not accept their findings, which could throw Congress into further turmoil.
Commission could suspend former prime minister for 10 days, which could trigger by-elections, pollster warns of major headache for Conservatives and Rishi Sunak are doing.
Fellow Conservative and pollster Lord Hayward said a by-election would cause “serious problems” for the Tories.
“The party doesn’t want a by-election,” he said. “If there were a by-election, we would certainly lose the constituency in the current polls. So it’s there, but we can’t know in advance what the commission will decide.”
Asked about Mr Johnson’s popularity with Tories, Lord Hayward told Sky News: