‘Boris Johnson’s allies tried to stymie probe into his partygate lies’

Boris Johnson. Pic/AP

A committee of British lawmakers on Thursday slammed allies of Boris Johnson in Parliament for trying to interfere with their investigation into whether the former prime minister lied about rule-flouting parties in his office during the coronavirus pandemic.

The House of Commons Privileges Committee said senior Conservatives, including past Cabinet ministers under Johnson, "took it upon themselves to undermine procedures of the House of Commons."

It said eight Johnson allies - including former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries and ex-House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg - mounted "vociferous attacks" on the committee on social media, radio and television.

They and several other legislators called the ethics probe into Johnson a "kangaroo court," a "witch hunt" and a "miscarriage of justice"¿ echoing language used by the embattled former prime minister.

The committee said the goal of such statements was "to frustrate the intention of the House that the inquiry should be carried out, or to prevent the inquiry coming to a conclusion which the critics did not want."

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