London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 13, 2025

‘Poisoned chalice’: senior Tories sought for place on committee judging PM

‘Poisoned chalice’: senior Tories sought for place on committee judging PM

Boris Johnson faces investigation by privileges committee into whether he lied to Commons over Partygate
Experienced Tory MPs with a “neutral” attitude to Boris Johnson are being sought to sit on the committee judging whether he misled parliament over Partygate, following concerns that its current membership is too aligned to the government.

Johnson is facing an investigation by the privileges committee into whether he lied to the Commons when he said he did not know about any parties in Downing Street during lockdown.

It was thought the current membership of seven – four Tories, two Labour, and one SNP MP – would conduct the investigation. However, two of the Tories are government aides and the Labour chair, Chris Bryant, has recused himself from the investigation for having already said he thought Johnson should quit.

With huge pressure on the MPs conducting the inquiry, the Tories have accepted that the inquiry needs to be undertaken by parliamentarians who are not on the government payroll, and are experienced enough not to be seeking preferment from No 10. Parliamentary rules state that ministerial aides should not be allowed to sit on committees, but this has been ignored in recent years.

Some of the senior Tories being mooted include former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox, former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland, who was previously a member of the committee, former culture secretary Maria Miller and Jeremy Wright, another former attorney general. From Labour, Harriet Harman, the former deputy leader, is believed to have been tapped up.

Sir Bernard Jenkin, a current senior member of the committee, may stay on the body. However, Laura Farris and Alberto Costa, two government aides, will be dropped.

However, Tory MPs in particular are proving reluctant to sit on the committee given the sensitivity and impact of their decision, which could lead to Johnson’s resignation if he is found to have knowingly misled the House of Commons.

There is also an issue with finding candidates to sit on the committee who have not expressed a view on the prime minister’s conduct over Partygate. Wright, for example, has publicly given his opinion that Johnson should go if he knowingly broke the law and therefore misled the Commons, as well as saying more recently that he can “see how a single mistake can be forgiven, even when it is made by a prime minister”.

The privileges committee will have a Conservative majority with candidates picked by the party’s authorities. However, the membership will have to be approved by the House of Commons, so the chosen MPs will need to command the confidence of a wide range of Tory backbenchers – including the prime minister’s critics.

One source with knowledge of the process said Tory MPs were trying to dodge the job of having to sit in judgment over the prime minister, knowing it to be a “poisoned chalice”.

The committee will not begin examining evidence against Johnson until both the conclusion of the Metropolitan police’s inquiries into lockdown breaking in Number 10 and Whitehall – which have already yielded one fine for the prime minister – and a Whitehall report by the civil servant Sue Gray, which will be published after the Met’s case is closed.

Some Conservatives have expressed scepticism that the committee is likely to report before the autumn or even before the end of the year – given the length of time for the Met to finish its investigation.

Bryant told the BBC he believed Johnson would be forced to quit by the end of May, but Number 10 has said he has no intention of resigning if he receives more fines from the Met or if he is criticised in Gray’s report.

In an exchange with Keir Starmer in January, the prime minister has acknowledged it is precedent for ministers to resign if they are found to have misled parliament.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
×