Boris Johnson has sent an 11th hour letter to the committee investigating whether he misled Parliament over parties held during lockdown. The former PM is being investigated by Westminster's Privileges Committee over whether he told the truth about parties held at Downing Street during the coronavirus pandemic.
He had repeatedly claimed that "all guidance was followed" "at all times” when quizzed on the matter in the House of Commons. MPs had been expected to publish their findings on Wednesday – but the Mirror reports that Boris' latest intervention - sent at 11.57pm on Monday - will now delay proceedings until Thursday.
A committee spokesperson said: "A letter enclosing further representations from Johnson was received by the committee at 11.57pm [on Monday night]. The committee is dealing with these and will report promptly."
Following the announcement of the delay, Boris called on the committee to publish what he called its "nonsense" findings. He has said he will comment further on the report after it has been released.
He said: "The Privileges Committee should publish their report and let the world judge their nonsense. They have no excuse for delay. Their absurdly unfair rules do not even allow any criticism of their findings. I have made my views clear to the committee in writing - and will do so more widely when they finally publish."
He has been on the warpath in recent days, accusing PM Rishi Sunak of "talking rubbish" amid claims Boris had asked him to circumvent rules on the dishing out of peerages for past allies, including former culture secretary Nadine Dorries. She has also announced she is quitting as an MP, alongside Selby and Ainsty Tory representative Nigel Adams.
Meanwhile, Johnson's allies have threatened revenge on MPs as he faces being shamed over Partygate when the committee publishes its findings. It is expected to find that the former PM deliberately misled Parliament over a number of lockdown-busting gatherings in Downing Street.
David Campbell Bannerman, chairman of the Conservative Democracy Organisation, said the committee should be "brought to book" as he warned the four Tories on the committee could be deselected.
He said: "It's really outrageous how they behaved and they should be brought to account on this. Maybe deselect them to be honest. Let's get a vote of no confidence in those MPs. Let their associations decide because many of their members are pro-Boris."
The Conservative Democracy was set up by Johnson's most vocal cheerleaders, and has criticised how Rishi Sunak was appointed as Tory leader without a vote of members. Johnson provided a signed magnum of Bollinger Rose wine as a raffle prize for its conference last month.
He told delegates: "A massive thank you to you for everything you've done and continue to do for our great party, the Conservative Party."
Johnson announced his resignation last week after being informed he faced being suspended from the Commons and a possible by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. Since he has already announced he will stand down as an MP, the committee may choose to publicly shame him rather than hand down a punishment.
However, it could also recommend withholding the Commons pass given to most former MPs allowing them continued access to the parliamentary estate.
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