Read it in full: Boris Johnson's Partygate defence revealed

21 March 2023, 12:25 | Updated: 21 March 2023, 17:50

Boris Johnson has admitted to misleading the House of Commons, but not "intentionally" or "recklessly"
Boris Johnson has admitted to misleading the House of Commons, but not "intentionally" or "recklessly". Picture: Parliament
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

Boris Johnson's defence on a series of lockdown-breaking parties in Number 10 has been published in full, with the former PM conceding that he misled the House of Commons. Read the full report here.

Mr Johnson is due to give a four-hour appearance in front of Parliament's Privileges Committee investigating claims he lied to the House of Commons on Wednesday.

In his defence, which was published by the Privileges Committee on Tuesday morning, the former prime minister admitted to misleading the House of Commons.

But he insists that statements made in the Commons "were made in good faith and on the basis of what I honestly knew and believed at the time".

Read More: Boris Johnson concedes he misled Commons with ‘half-baked’ account on lockdown rules but says he acted ‘in good faith’

He also said he believes that he corrected his statements at the "earliest opportunity" at which he could, given ongoing investigations by the Metropolitan Police and Sue Gray.

But he added: "There is no evidence at all that supports an allegation that I intentionally or recklessly misled the House".

Read More: 'I believe these events were within the rules', says Boris as MPs claim Covid breaches would have been 'obvious'

The Privileges Committee said Mr Johnson's final dossier of written evidence was submitted at 8.02am on Tuesday, due to "a number of errors and typos".

The committee added: "Johnson's written submission contains no new documentary evidence."

You can read the full report here.

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