Watchdog criticises payment of Boris Johnson’s £265,000 Partygate legal bill

Boris Johnson was found to have committed five contempts of parliament. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock

The Cabinet Office failed to follow proper processes when it allowed taxpayers’ money to be used to fund Boris Johnson’s Partygate legal bills, the UK’s public spending watchdog has said.

The government’s justifications for the £265,000 spend were also deemed to be “borderline” and not “wholly persuasive” by the National Audit Office (NAO).