LONDON (AP) — Boris Johnson’s government has yielded to demands for a parliamentary inquiry into a scandal over his attendance at a party that broke lockdown after an attempt to combat it failed.
Johnson apologized to the House of Commons this week after being fined by police for attending a government meeting in June 2020, when indoor gatherings were prohibited under COVID restrictions. Johnson had previously said that the rules were followed at all times.
The opposition Labor Party has tabled a motion for Johnson to be investigated by the House of Commons privileges committee, which deals with contempt of parliament, into whether he misled MPs by claiming he had played by the rules.
In response, the government tabled an amendment requesting that any parliamentary inquiry be delayed until the police have completed their investigation and a separate report into the Sue Gray affair is published in full.
But the government abruptly withdrew its amendment shortly before debate began in a bid to prevent a revolt by Conservative MPs unhappy that they were asked to cover up for Johnson.
10 Downing Street announced that MPs would have a free vote, thus paving the way for an investigation into Johnson’s conduct by the privileges committee. A Downing Street spokesman insisted that the amendment had only been withdrawn because the government was now “happy” that the committee’s inquiry would not preempt the police investigation or the Gray report.
In reality, it appeared to be a rearguard action in response to growing discontent in the Conservative ranks.
Conservative MPs who have criticized their leader welcomed the move. William Wragg, declaring his intention to vote for the Labor motion, said that he and his colleagues were working in “a toxic atmosphere” that “bears the scars of leadership errors of judgement”.
Labor leader Keir Starmer said an investigation was essential, otherwise “we are all complicit in allowing the public to think that we are all the same, that no one is telling the truth, that there are alternative sets of facts.”
The Met Police investigation is ongoing, but a spokesman confirmed on Thursday that they will not be issuing any more tickets before local elections next month.
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