Post by northwestman on Nov 23, 2022 17:13:55 GMT 1
www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/23/partygate-hearings-could-be-put-back-to-new-year-after-no-10-delay
The privileges committee inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled the Commons may be delayed until January, after No 10 finally handed over a cache of evidence relating to Partygate four months after it was requested.
The Guardian understands that the autumn target for beginning oral evidence sessions, in which the former prime minister will be called as a witness, has been abandoned. Instead, sources said the highly anticipated sessions could be pushed back to after Christmas.
The delay has been blamed on the Cabinet Office digging its heels in and resisting providing key information requested four months ago.
Last Friday, what was described as a “hefty chunk” of documents were handed over to the committee. A range of information – including the former prime minister’s diaries, event email invites, No 10 entry logs, briefing papers and WhatsApp messages – were originally sought in July.
The seven-member committee, which has a Tory majority but is chaired by Labour’s Harriet Harman, is expected to investigate whether Johnson misled parliament by denying any Covid laws were broken.
MPs had hoped to begin hearing oral evidence from as early as October but they are only now beginning to sift through the bulk of the evidence handed over by the government. With only three full sitting weeks before the Christmas recess, there are doubts about whether all of the evidence sessions can be completed before the festive break.
Members of the committee are now discussing whether to push the evidence sessions into the new year, when there will be more time to examine the witnesses.
The privileges committee inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled the Commons may be delayed until January, after No 10 finally handed over a cache of evidence relating to Partygate four months after it was requested.
The Guardian understands that the autumn target for beginning oral evidence sessions, in which the former prime minister will be called as a witness, has been abandoned. Instead, sources said the highly anticipated sessions could be pushed back to after Christmas.
The delay has been blamed on the Cabinet Office digging its heels in and resisting providing key information requested four months ago.
Last Friday, what was described as a “hefty chunk” of documents were handed over to the committee. A range of information – including the former prime minister’s diaries, event email invites, No 10 entry logs, briefing papers and WhatsApp messages – were originally sought in July.
The seven-member committee, which has a Tory majority but is chaired by Labour’s Harriet Harman, is expected to investigate whether Johnson misled parliament by denying any Covid laws were broken.
MPs had hoped to begin hearing oral evidence from as early as October but they are only now beginning to sift through the bulk of the evidence handed over by the government. With only three full sitting weeks before the Christmas recess, there are doubts about whether all of the evidence sessions can be completed before the festive break.
Members of the committee are now discussing whether to push the evidence sessions into the new year, when there will be more time to examine the witnesses.