Johnson allies to be criticised over Partygate probe

The Commons committee that investigated Boris Johnson over Partygate is expected to criticise his allies on Thursday.

The former prime minister quit as an MP after the Privileges Committee found he had misled Parliament over Covid breaches in No 10.

Several of his supporters criticised the committee's year-long inquiry.

It has claimed its members were subjected to a "sustained attempt" to "undermine" their credibility.

In their report into Mr Johnson, they said the criticism of their work could make it "impossible" for similarly sensitive inquiries to be held in future.

Allies of Mr Johnson who have criticised the committee include former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries, who also described the committee on television as a "kangaroo court".

The cross-party committee has seven members, of which four are Tory MPs, two Labour and two from the Scottish National Party.

Its investigation, launched last April, found Mr Johnson deliberately misled Parliament over lockdown parties in government and he should have been suspended for 90 days if he'd remained an MP.

Mr Johnson announced his decision to stand down before its final report was published, branding the committee a "kangaroo court" in a blistering resignation statement.

The BBC understands tomorrow's report will leave the reader in no doubt which MPs the committee is referring to in its criticisms.

Privately, some MPs regard it as ridiculous that MPs should be limited in some way about what they can say publicly about a committee of their peers investigating a colleague.

"It is ludicrous that this committee is behaving like it is a court of law, when it clearly is not," one told the BBC.

Any conclusions or recommendations from the Privileges Committee would have to be endorsed by Parliament in order for the rules surrounding its inquiries to change.