An investigative report into allegations of multiple Downing Street parties is expected in the coming days.
If Prime Minister Boris Johnson (centre) lied in Parliament, this would be grounds for resignation, Justice Minister Dominic Raab (left) said.
(dpa)
The affair surrounding parties at 10 Downing Street, the British seat of government, during the strict lockdowns last year is becoming increasingly threatening for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. His former chief adviser Dominic Cummings accused him of lying in Parliament on Monday evening. A government spokesman immediately rejected Cummings’ allegations, but the scandal was again the focus of the media on Tuesday.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab confirmed to the BBC that knowingly lying in Parliament is grounds for resignation. Cummings’ claims are “nonsense,” Raab continued. At the same time, however, Raab also seemed to have inadvertently mentioned a party in Downing Street himself, but quickly corrected himself.
Last week, the Prime Minister admitted in Parliament that he was present at an event with dozens of employees in the garden of 10 Downing Street in May 2020. However, he claimed that the event, to which his private secretary had invited with the note “bring your own alcohol”, was a working meeting. According to a spokeswoman, he claims he did not see the email. He only apologized for the impression that was created, but did not admit any breach of the rules. Johnson had previously protested in parliament that he had heard nothing at all about lockdown parties at the seat of government.
However, Cummings said he specifically warned the premier that the event was a breach of lockdown rules. Johnson brushed that aside. Cummings left government in a dispute at the end of 2020 and has since published a series of uncomfortable insider details from his time in Downing Street. He and other eyewitnesses are ready to testify under oath to incriminate the prime minister, the former chief adviser and campaign strategist said.