Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson affirmed on Wednesday "
hand on heart
" that he had not lied in Parliament, during a hearing before a parliamentary committee which will scrutinize his lies during the Partygate crisis. , these parties in Downing Street in the midst of a pandemic.
Combative, the 58-year-old former Conservative leader promised to tell "
the whole truth
" by taking an oath on the Bible at the opening of this television hearing which could last four hours.
“
Hand on heart, I did not lie to parliament
,” he said at the start of his speech.
Political future at stake
Boris Johnson will try to convince the seven MPs who make up this commission of inquiry as his political future hangs in the balance. The partygate scandal cost him his job in July and dragged the UK into months of political instability .
If he finds himself in his favorite position, at the center of media and political attention, will the thunderous leader, now a simple deputy, be able to avoid a sanction that would destroy any hope of a return to the forefront of life? British politics?
The parliamentary committee, accused of having embarked on a witch hunt by Johnson's supporters, must determine whether he deliberately lied in the House of Commons, in particular when he claimed in December 2021 before MPs that "
the rules were followed all the time
” in Downing Street during the pandemic.
An excerpt from his statements at the time was shown in court.
"Two weights, two measures"
The “
partygate
”, these revelations for months on the watered parties in Downing Street during confinement in the United Kingdom, had angered the British, who had denounced an intolerable “
double standard
”.
In a 110-page document made public on Wednesday morning, the commission traces the official statements of Boris Johnson and what was happening in Downing Street at the time, with supporting photos and testimonies.
In May 2020, Boris Johnson, for example, encouraged “
the whole country to obey the rules
”, but took part a few days later in a garden party in the Downing Street gardens.
On June 10, he “
urges everyone to continue to show restraint and respect the rules
” and on the 19th participates in a birthday party organized for him by his wife Carrie.
And in November 2020, on the occasion of a small party, still in Downing Street, he quips that “
it is probably the least respectful gathering of social distancing in the whole of the United Kingdom
”.
Read alsoBoris Johnson wants to ennoble his father, according to The Times
According to the testimony of a Downing Street employee, Boris Johnson “
had the opportunity to put an end
” to these gatherings but he took part on the contrary.
If the commission, which has obtained written evidence from 23 people, finds he lied, Boris Johnson risks losing his MP seat, jeopardizing the rest of his political career and his hopes of ever returning to Downing Street.
MPs will vote on any penalties he could face, including a suspension which, if longer than 10 days, could trigger a by-election in his constituency, where his majority is slim.
Advocate good faith
Boris Johnson admitted to having lied to the commission by denying the existence of these parties, then by ensuring that they had respected the anti-Covid rules, but pleaded good faith in a 52-page document made public on Tuesday, where he points the finger at his main advisers.
His defense, provided in particular by David Pannick, one of the most famous lawyers in the country, cost taxpayers more than 220,000 pounds sterling (249,540 euros), according to British media.
One of Boris Johnson's advisers, Martin Reynolds, had recommended that he not tell Parliament that the rules had always been respected, judging that it was not "
realistic
", according to his testimony received by the commission.
Read alsoPartygate: photos revive accusations against Boris Johnson
These arguments have sparked the anger of the families of victims of the pandemic, which has killed more than 220,000 people in the United Kingdom, the highest toll in Europe after Russia.
For Bereaved Families for Justice, "
it is clear that Boris Johnson has deliberately misled Parliament
".
The group describes as "
disgusting
" the fact that he claims to have acted in good faith.
At the beginning of March, the commission had estimated that the elements collected “
strongly suggest
” that the violations of the anti-Covid rules must be “
obvious
” for Boris Johnson.
He had resigned in July, pushed out by a revolt within his government.
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