Johnson faces fresh partygate allegations ahead of inquiry

Yesterday ITV reported that the former prime minister had joked that he was at “the most unsocially distanced party in the UK” while attending a leaving party in Downing Street during lockdown.

A spokesperson for Mr Johnson did not deny that he had made the comment but insisted that he had “worked constantly” to make sure his government did all that it could to save lives and livelihoods during the pandemic.

The reports came as another Conservative MP, Andrew Bridgen, had the whip suspended after appearing to compare the effect of Covid-19 vaccines to the Holocaust, joining former Tory colleagues Rob Roberts, David Warburton, Chris Pincher and Julian Knight following allegations of sexual misconduct against them.

Mr Johnson, despite returning to the Conservative backbenches last year, still faces an investigation by the Privileges Committee into whether he misled MPs over the scandal which brought down his premiership.

ITV News reported that the comments were made as staff gathered around a table filled with alcohol and party snacks to hear him toast his outgoing director of communications, Lee Cain, in November 2020, when indoor gatherings were banned except for work purposes, and social distancing remained in place.

The comment made by Mr Johnson is part of a number of new allegations made in an ITV podcast, Partygate: The Inside Story.

It reports that a source said: “I was working late – some music came on, the mumbling sort of rose, and there were loads of people stood around, but this time I came out because I heard the prime minister speaking and that’s when I heard the quote: ‘This is the most unsocially distanced party in the UK right now’ and everyone was laughing about it.”

Among other claims, ITV reports that whistleblowers told the podcast that staff “corroborated their stories” before filling out Metropolitan Police questionnaires about their potential involvement in rule-breaking gatherings.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: ”As the disgraced former prime minister plots his comeback, he reminds us all yet again why he’s totally unfit for office.

“While people were unable to say goodbye to loved ones or mourn with their families, he was breaking his own rules with reckless abandon and then lying to the British people.”

Yesterday it was reported that the Privileges Committee had met in order to discuss the timetable for the inquiry into the former prime minister, with Times Radio reporting that oral hearings could start within the next fortnight.

Last night the Financial Times reported that Mr Johnson will be summoned to televised hearings “within weeks”.

Boris Johnson on Tuesday night helped fuel rumours that he wanted to return as prime minister after he called on Rishi Sunak to stick to his agenda he set out in office during a speech at the Carlton Club in London.

Mr Johnson was speaking at the Carlton Club where he was unveiling a portrait of himself in line with the club’s tradition of commissioning portraits of former Conservative premiers.

He urged supporters to get behind his policy programme – of levelling up and exploiting the UK’s “Brexit freedoms” – to deliver victory at the next general election.

During the short-lived leadership contest following Liz Truss’ resignation, Mr Johnson pulled out of the contest at the final hour.

Sir Graham Brady, the Chairman of the 1922 Committee which oversees the contest, later appeared to confirm that Mr Johnson had enough votes to progress to the final stage of the leadership battle against Mr Sunak.

The former prime minister in a statement in October said that he was “well-placed” to deliver a victory for the Tories at the next election, but although he has “much to offer” had to withdraw for party unity.