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| Did Boris Johnson mislead Parliament over parties? | Did Boris Johnson mislead Parliament over parties? |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| On 19 April, Boris Johnson was asked in Parliament: "Did you deliberately mislead the House at the dispatch box?" His one-word reply: "No." | On 19 April, Boris Johnson was asked in Parliament: "Did you deliberately mislead the House at the dispatch box?" His one-word reply: "No." |
| After being fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaking his own Covid rules, he will be investigated by a Commons committee over whether he misled MPs when talking about parties in Downing Street. | After being fined by the Metropolitan Police for breaking his own Covid rules, he will be investigated by a Commons committee over whether he misled MPs when talking about parties in Downing Street. |
| It is important because the Ministerial Code, the rule book for government ministers, says: "Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation." | It is important because the Ministerial Code, the rule book for government ministers, says: "Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation." |
| "Knowingly" suggests deliberately misleading MPs, which can be difficult to prove. | "Knowingly" suggests deliberately misleading MPs, which can be difficult to prove. |
| These are the key times the prime minister has talked in Parliament about Downing Street parties and gatherings. | These are the key times the prime minister has talked in Parliament about Downing Street parties and gatherings. |
| Date of quote: 8 December 2021 | Date of quote: 8 December 2021 |
| Context: Labour MP Catherine West asked: "Will the prime minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November [2020]?" | Context: Labour MP Catherine West asked: "Will the prime minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November [2020]?" |
| What Mr Johnson said: "No - but I am sure that whatever happened, the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times." | What Mr Johnson said: "No - but I am sure that whatever happened, the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| Let's break down his answer. The first part is the apparent denial that there was a party on 13 November 2020. | Let's break down his answer. The first part is the apparent denial that there was a party on 13 November 2020. |
| We know that senior civil servant Sue Gray investigated two events on this date: | We know that senior civil servant Sue Gray investigated two events on this date: |
| a gathering in Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser | a gathering in Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser |
| a gathering in the Downing Street flat | a gathering in the Downing Street flat |
| Ms West's question specified "party" and that is not a term for which there is a precise definition. | Ms West's question specified "party" and that is not a term for which there is a precise definition. |
| But ITV News has published photos showing the prime minister raising a glass with members of staff in Downing Street on 13 November 2020, next to a table with bottles of wine and surrounded by six other people standing close together. | But ITV News has published photos showing the prime minister raising a glass with members of staff in Downing Street on 13 November 2020, next to a table with bottles of wine and surrounded by six other people standing close together. |
| The pictures are believed to show a leaving party for Mr Johnson's director of communications Lee Cain. | The pictures are believed to show a leaving party for Mr Johnson's director of communications Lee Cain. |
| One Downing Street staff member who attended told BBC Panorama that there were "about 30 people, if not more, in a room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people on each other's laps". | One Downing Street staff member who attended told BBC Panorama that there were "about 30 people, if not more, in a room. Everyone was stood shoulder to shoulder, some people on each other's laps". |
| Moving on to the rest of his answer to the question from Ms West, Mr Johnson said that the guidance and the rules were followed at all times. | Moving on to the rest of his answer to the question from Ms West, Mr Johnson said that the guidance and the rules were followed at all times. |
| Starting with the rules - we know they were not followed because the Metropolitan Police issued fines for an event on this date that breached the restrictions on indoor gatherings of two or more people. | Starting with the rules - we know they were not followed because the Metropolitan Police issued fines for an event on this date that breached the restrictions on indoor gatherings of two or more people. |
| The Met has not said which of the events that day led to these fines but the BBC has been told that at least one person who attended the one Mr Johnson was pictured at was fined. The prime minister did not receive a fine - the Met has not explained why. | The Met has not said which of the events that day led to these fines but the BBC has been told that at least one person who attended the one Mr Johnson was pictured at was fined. The prime minister did not receive a fine - the Met has not explained why. |
| The Covid rules when Downing Street parties were held | The Covid rules when Downing Street parties were held |
| When it comes to the guidance at the time, it said "only absolutely necessary participants should physically attend meetings" and they should maintain social distancing. | When it comes to the guidance at the time, it said "only absolutely necessary participants should physically attend meetings" and they should maintain social distancing. |
| We know Mr Johnson was aware of the detail of this guidance because he announced it at a Downing Street press conference on 11 May 2020. | We know Mr Johnson was aware of the detail of this guidance because he announced it at a Downing Street press conference on 11 May 2020. |
| The original advice told people to stay 2m apart during meetings but on 23 June Mr Johnson announced that in general people could stay 1m apart with mitigation. | The original advice told people to stay 2m apart during meetings but on 23 June Mr Johnson announced that in general people could stay 1m apart with mitigation. |
| He told Parliament: "Where it is possible to keep 2m apart, people should. But where it is not, we will advise people to keep a social distance of 1m-plus. | He told Parliament: "Where it is possible to keep 2m apart, people should. But where it is not, we will advise people to keep a social distance of 1m-plus. |
| "We are today publishing guidance on how business can reduce the risk by taking certain steps to protect workers and customers. Those include, for instance, avoiding face-to-face seating by changing office layouts, reducing the number of people in enclosed spaces, improving ventilation, the use of protective screens and face coverings, closing non-essential social spaces, providing hand sanitiser." | "We are today publishing guidance on how business can reduce the risk by taking certain steps to protect workers and customers. Those include, for instance, avoiding face-to-face seating by changing office layouts, reducing the number of people in enclosed spaces, improving ventilation, the use of protective screens and face coverings, closing non-essential social spaces, providing hand sanitiser." |
| These guidelines were still in place on 13 November when the ITV photo was reportedly taken. Some of the attendees are standing next to each other and none of the listed mitigation measures are apparent, except for a bottle of hand sanitiser on the table in the middle of the wine bottles. | These guidelines were still in place on 13 November when the ITV photo was reportedly taken. Some of the attendees are standing next to each other and none of the listed mitigation measures are apparent, except for a bottle of hand sanitiser on the table in the middle of the wine bottles. |
| It is also worth noting there was nothing in the guidance that implied that leaving drinks or other forms of socialising at work were allowed. | It is also worth noting there was nothing in the guidance that implied that leaving drinks or other forms of socialising at work were allowed. |
| The other gathering on 13 November was in Mr Johnson's flat. We do not know whether Mr Johnson was in the flat at the time - but the Daily Telegraph reports he was seen heading up there on the night of the event. Downing Street said it could not comment on this. | The other gathering on 13 November was in Mr Johnson's flat. We do not know whether Mr Johnson was in the flat at the time - but the Daily Telegraph reports he was seen heading up there on the night of the event. Downing Street said it could not comment on this. |
| Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak reject calls to resign over lockdown fines | Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak reject calls to resign over lockdown fines |
| Date of quote: 8 December 2021 | Date of quote: 8 December 2021 |
| Context: Opening remarks to Parliament after a video emerged of members of his staff joking about whether there had been a Christmas party at Downing Street. | Context: Opening remarks to Parliament after a video emerged of members of his staff joking about whether there had been a Christmas party at Downing Street. |
| What Johnson said: "I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken." | What Johnson said: "I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| The party they were talking about is understood to be the one on 18 December 2020, described in Ms Gray's initial report as "a gathering in No 10 Downing Street ahead of the Christmas break". | The party they were talking about is understood to be the one on 18 December 2020, described in Ms Gray's initial report as "a gathering in No 10 Downing Street ahead of the Christmas break". |
| A source who attended the gathering told BBC News "several dozen" people had enjoyed food, drink and party games and it had gone on past midnight. | A source who attended the gathering told BBC News "several dozen" people had enjoyed food, drink and party games and it had gone on past midnight. |
| The Met has issued fines to people who attended this gathering. If people assured Mr Johnson that no Covid rules were broken then they were wrong. | The Met has issued fines to people who attended this gathering. If people assured Mr Johnson that no Covid rules were broken then they were wrong. |
| But this claim revolves around what assurances the prime minister was given, which we do not know. | But this claim revolves around what assurances the prime minister was given, which we do not know. |
| And we do not know whether Mr Johnson attended the gathering. | And we do not know whether Mr Johnson attended the gathering. |
| If he was not there - and was told there was no party - he could argue he had not knowingly misled the House. | If he was not there - and was told there was no party - he could argue he had not knowingly misled the House. |
| Date of quote: 1 December 2021 | Date of quote: 1 December 2021 |
| Context: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked: "As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of people on 18 December [2020]?" | Context: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked: "As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of people on 18 December [2020]?" |
| What Johnson said: "What I can tell the right honourable and learned gentleman is that all guidance was followed completely in No 10." | What Johnson said: "What I can tell the right honourable and learned gentleman is that all guidance was followed completely in No 10." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| The question was about the same "gathering... ahead of the Christmas break". | The question was about the same "gathering... ahead of the Christmas break". |
| But Mr Johnson's reply sounds as if he is saying all guidance was followed at all times, not just on 18 December. | But Mr Johnson's reply sounds as if he is saying all guidance was followed at all times, not just on 18 December. |
| If he had been talking about the whole of the pandemic, then the statement would have been misleading. Guidance was clearly not followed in Downing Street at times and the Metropolitan Police has also reached the conclusion that the law was broken - issuing a total of 126 fines. | If he had been talking about the whole of the pandemic, then the statement would have been misleading. Guidance was clearly not followed in Downing Street at times and the Metropolitan Police has also reached the conclusion that the law was broken - issuing a total of 126 fines. |
| If the prime minister was only talking about 18 December, we know that the law was broken that day because the Metropolitan Police has issued fines for breaches that day. | If the prime minister was only talking about 18 December, we know that the law was broken that day because the Metropolitan Police has issued fines for breaches that day. |
| And the government guidance for the Christmas period in 2020 says: "Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party where that is a primarily social activity." | And the government guidance for the Christmas period in 2020 says: "Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party where that is a primarily social activity." |
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| Watch: What has Boris Johnson said before about alleged No 10 parties? | |
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| Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |