22nd March, the Commons Privileges Comittee investigation into Partygate

[DuncinToffee]

Live on BBC Parliament 2-6pm

Some background information

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-62009458

https://news.sky.com/story/partygate-inquiry-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-investigation-into-boris-johnson-12805474

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/privileges-committee-investigation-boris-johnson

Is the live feed stuck? They all seem to asking the same questions.

Misleading Parliament is a serious issue, the opposite of pointless

The point of taking hours is to allow him a fair hearing. At the end of the day he won’t be able to claim he wasn’t treated fairly. I’m enjoying watching him hang himself with the copious amount of rope he’s being given.

they didn't expect the public to take the guidance to such extremes

So why were people fined then. Why did fines go as high as £10,000 if

a. it was only guidance

b. they didnt expect the public to take it to extremes

It wasnt the public who came up with the fines.

we had perspex screens in the room next door to the party...

Maybe at some point they are hoping he'll answer truthfully.

The thing is they have to do him in. If they don't, the Commons will never have a PM ever again who will need to tell the truth or at least clarify the record. So really, intent doesn't matter. What matters his failure to correct it.

Or otherwise all Prime Ministers, Labour or otherwise will know they never have to bother.

Yes he lied. All they need to do is make that clear. He knows that: hence this charade. But it's to protect our system which depends on people having some integrity. If you don't have that then the Boris exception will apply to all.

All the kangaroo court stuff is for his supporters

yes, love we didn't touch each other's pens, but passed each other glasses of wine

@Janiie You have had a year or two to think about it, have you worked out why you think it acceptable for a 56year old to have a birthday party whilst depriving millions of children of them?

It is what happens when someone isn't prepared to answer perfectly simple questions. Like for instance, why they think it acceptable for a 56 year old to have a birthday party, but not millions of children.

I doubt they can prove intent to mislead so I wouldn't count him out of parliament yet.

Excellent point @LexMitior. A huge amount hinges on this.

According to the specific terms of the motion passed by the Commons authorising the committee’s inquiry, the committee is investigating whether:
• The Commons was misled
• If the Commons was misled, whether that constituted a contempt of parliament (in other words, whether the functioning of the Commons was impeded by this)
• If the Commons was misled, how serious was the potential contempt
In an interim report published by the Privileges Committee in March 2023, setting out the issues it wishes to raise with Johnson, the committee further stated that it is investigating whether, if a statement made by Johnson to the Commons is found to have been misleading, it was “inadvertent, reckless, or intentional.” This may include examining “how quickly and comprehensively any misleading statement to the House was corrected.”

He is floundering and almost losing his temper. I hope he does lose it, it will be his undoing.

The Boris exception is good news for Labour. What kind of accountability do you think there will be once the Conservatives are out? Sod all.

Bernard Jenkin knows that. He knows. The precedents set by Johnson are vast. They will be used against the Conservatives once they are out of office.

I have experience of investigating if people have deliberately done something or if it was careless (if that gives a big clue to what I do 😁)

You always start with very general questions, to let the person tell thier side of the story. Then slowly, you start to ask specific questions.
So, essentially to start with open questions, then you end with closed questions.

This can take a while. But it is very important.

Pannick is looking panicked (sorry).

I wonder what Pannick is thinking, he is blinking and fidgeting quite a bit

😁 I laughed.

Good one

Ha snap Belindabelle

Me too.

I am low on battery, time for a break.

Pannick won't give a monkey either way. Nobody could ever imagine Johnson was an ideal client.

I would imagine Pannick's main concern is getting paid, but the taxpayer is sorting that one out.

😂