Key clashes in Boris Johnson’s Partygate probe grilling

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “If there had been such anxiety about a rule-breaking event at No 10 it would unquestionably have been escalated to me.” ‘Kangaroo court’ Committee member and Tory MP Sir Charles Walker said Mr Johnson’s supporters had mounted “a concerted effort to delegitimise the committee, to call us a kangaroo court”. ’Passed drinks but not pens’ Insisting that No 10 staff were at pains to follow social distancing guidelines, the ex-prime minister said: “We didn’t touch each other’s pens.” Committee chair Harriet Harman told him: “But you were passing drinks to each other, we can see the drinks in the photos.” Mr Johnson said: “Yes, we were of course.” ‘You failed to give fuller account to Commons’ Veteran MP Sir Bernard suggested the former prime minister may have avoided all the trouble of an inquiry if he had given a fuller account to Parliament. Mr Johnson said: “Why I believed, when I stood up on December 1, that the guidance was followed completely at all times in No 10, what picture I had in my head - and why that doesn’t conflict with that picture - the answer is that I knew from my direct personal experience that we were doing a huge event to stop the spread of Covid within the building.” He cited sanitisers, open windows, people working outdoors, Zoom meetings, restrictions on numbers of people in rooms, Perspex screensand - regular testing. “I think if this committee were to find me in contempt of Parliament - having come and done something so utterly insane and contrary to my beliefs and my principles as to come here, to come to Parliament and wittingly lie - I think that would be not only unfair, I think it would be wrong.” ‘I had impression guidance followed’ Boris Johnson said he did not receive “direct assurances” on guidance in relation to the 18 December 2020 event at Downing Street but nobody said “anything adverse” to him.