UK's 'Partygate' scandal: The many denials by Boris Johnson

London: What Boris Johnson said about the “ Partygate ” scandal will be laid bare today when the former British prime minister is hauled before a committee of MPs investigating whether he lied to parliament. If they find he intentionally misled the House of Commons, the MPs’ verdict could imperil Johnson’s future in politics. Here is a roundup of what he said, after media reports first emerged in late 2021 about boozy parties in 10 Downing Street at a time when the UK public was legally bound to observe lockdown restrictions: 1 December, 2021 “All guidance was followed completely in Number 10,” Johnson tells the House of Commons in response to a Daily Mirror story the previous day. It is the first time he has addressed the matter in parliament, and forms Exhibit A in the investigation by the MPs sitting on the “privileges” committee. 8 December, 2021 Johnson, again addressing the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no COVID rules were broken.” **Also Read: How the UK police can address its institutional racism and sexism** That is in response to a leaked video broadcast by ITV the day before of his then press secretary, laughing as she rehearsed lines to tell the media about a party the previous Christmas. Johnson tells MPs he was “sickened… and furious” at the clip. He commissions an inquiry into the growing scandal, which will eventually be headed by senior civil servant Sue Gray. 14 January, 2022 Downing Street apologises to Queen Elizabeth II after reports emerged of staff partying long into the night before the funeral of her husband Prince Philip the previous April. [caption id=“attachment_12332752” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Aside from Partygate, a widening ethics scandal embroiling a close ally proves to be the last straw for Sunak and other Conservative MPs. AP[/caption] 25 January, 2022 On top of Gray’s internal inquiry, London’s Metropolitan police force starts its own investigation. That delays the release of her full report. But a week later, she issues a highly redacted, interim version that finds “failures of leadership and judgment” under Johnson’s watch. In the weeks afterward, Johnson repeatedly says that he is unable to comment further pending the full outcomes of both investigations. “While repeatedly making that statement to the House (of Commons), he appears to have had personal knowledge that he did not reveal,” the privileges committee said in an interim report this month. 12 April, 2022 Johnson, his wife Carrie and then finance minister Rishi Sunak are all fined by the Met police for attending a June 2020 party thrown by staff for the prime minister’s birthday. It is the first time a sitting premier has been found to have broken the law, but Johnson refuses to quit even after admitting the violation. “And I have to say in all frankness, at the time, it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules,” he adds. 25 May, 2022 Gray’s full report chronicles the Downing Street partying in gory detail, including vomiting, a fight among staff, and rudeness towards security and cleaning staff. **Also read: ‘Rape may as well be legal in London’: UK Police review reveals woes of sexual crime victims** While saying “I bitterly regret” the dismal picture drawn by the report, Johnson dismisses renewed opposition demands for his resignation. And he offers a new defence — that it was his duty to attend leaving drinks for departing staff as part of his job. “It didn’t occur to me that this was anything except what I think was my duty to do as prime minister during a pandemic and that’s why I did it,” he tells reporters. 7 July, 2022 Johnson resigns as prime minister. Aside from Partygate, a widening ethics scandal embroiling a close ally proves to be the last straw for Sunak and other Conservative MPs. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.