By Ben Kerrigan-
Boris Johnson has submitted evidence to MPs investigating whether he misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking parties in Downing Street.
The former prime minister, who denies misleading MPs, wants his defence to be published as soon as possible.
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The bombshell internal briefing from his team states that the Commons Privileges Committee has received ‘thousands of documents’ that support his claim that he did not deliberately mislead Parliament over lockdown gatherings in No 10.
The document also accuses the inquiry of refusing to release the testimony of ‘dozens of witnesses’ who told the committee that they also believed the notorious gatherings were within the rules.
An internal briefing from the prime minister’s team states that the Commons Privileges Committee has received ‘thousands of documents’ that support his claim that he did not deliberately mislead Parliament over lockdown gatherings in No 10.
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The document also accuses the inquiry of refusing to release the testimony of ‘dozens of witnesses’ who told the committee that they also believed the notorious gatherings were within the rules
The Privileges Committee is reviewing the material to make redactions before publication.
Mr Johnson will be questioned by the cross-party committee in a televised session on Wednesday over its query into whether he misled Parliament multiple times.
The committee confirmed it had received Mr Johnson’s written evidence on Monday afternoon and would publish it “as soon as is practicably possible”.
However, a spokesman added: “The committee will need to review what has been submitted in the interests of making appropriate redactions to protect the identity of some witnesses.”
If Mr Johnson is found to have misled Parliament, the committee will consider whether this was reckless or intentional, and recommend how he should be punished.
Any sanction will have to be approved by Mps, but potential punishments could include an apology or a suspension from the Commons. If he is suspended for more than 10 days, this could trigger a by-election in his constituency.
The committee said in an interim report that it should have been ‘obvious’ to him at the time that lockdown rules were not being observed.
It published messages from No 10 aides, including one suggesting it was hard to explain how a Cabinet Room gathering to mark Mr Johnson’s birthday was within the rules.
Downing Street sources say MPs will be given a free vote, meaning they will not be told to vote either for or against the sanction.
The Privileges Committee, which is chaired by Labour’s Harriet Harman, is made up of seven MPs – four Conservatives, one more Labour MP and one SNP MP.
Allies of Mr Johnson have questioned the independence of the inquiry.
Meanwhile, No 10 has warned that Mr Johnson’s allies should not interfere or put undue pressure on the committee, as Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer backed an attack by his frontbencher Thangam Debbonaire in which she warned it was vital the probe could be conducted “without intimidation”.
Some of the former PM’s allies dubbing the inquiry a “witch hunt” and pressuring Tory MPs on the committee to quit, Tory peer Lord Cruddas went so far as to call on the prime minister to intervene “because there is a conflict of interest” over former civil servant Sue Gray.
He said: “The privileges Committee should not proceed until the Sue Gray story around her report is cleared up. Stop treating the electorate with contempt.”
Boris Johnson and his allies have also been accused of trying to “bully” and intimidate an investigating committee of MPs ahead of his showdown televised grilling on Partygate on Wednesday.
Senior Conservatives joined Labour in urging the Johnson camp to stop “disgraceful” efforts to undermine the privileges committee – warning that it “borders on contempt of parliament”.
Tory peer Lord Greenhalgh, who was a deputy mayor under Mr Johnson, told Times Radio he was worried the inquiry would be “a witch-hunt”.
Prime minister, Rushi Sunak’s official spokesman has defended the investigation and endorsed comments from Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt that the committee must be able to “get on with their work without fear or favour”.
Reports of gatherings in government buildings during Covid lockdowns first emerged in late 2021.
On several occasions, Mr Johnson, who was then prime minister, told the Commons the rules had been followed.
He later admitted his original statements had since proved incorrect. However, he has insisted he believed them to be true at the time and that he had been assured this was the case.
An investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray found widespread rule-breaking had taken place and a police inquiry led to 83 people, including Mr Johnson himself, being fined for attending events.
The Privileges Committee’s initial report said it had seen evidence that “strongly su
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