In a revealing account, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has explained how he orchestrated the downfall of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the Partygate scandal, ultimately leading to Johnson’s resignation from parliament.
Starmer, who previously served as Britain’s chief prosecutor, described how he anticipated Johnson’s tendency to lie under pressure and strategically led him into a position where he would mislead the House of Commons.
The saga culminated in Johnson’s dramatic resignation last summer, preempting a damning verdict from parliament’s privileges committee.
The committee was set to declare that Johnson had lied about the notorious lockdown-busting parties at Downing Street, branding him the first former prime minister to have lied to the Commons.
The committee concluded that Johnson had committed “repeated contempt” of parliament, deliberately misleading MPs and participating in a campaign of abuse and intimidation.
Johnson’s departure from parliament came with significant sanctions. Not only was he banned from accessing parliament, a privilege usually afforded to former MPs, but he also faced the prospect of a 90-day suspension had he not resigned.
In an interview, Sir Keir did not mince words, describing Johnson as “a guy who is detached from the truth.” He elaborated on his deliberate strategy, recounting how he set the trap that ultimately ensnared Johnson.
“When I first asked him, ‘Did you apply all the rules?’ I hadn’t seen the video of Allegra Stratton [Johnson’s director of strategic communications] laughing in response to being asked, ‘What do we say about the parties?’” Starmer recalled.
“But he was told about her laughing. So I said [to my team], ‘I think there’s something here. Let’s get him on record. Because his instinct will be to lie.’ It was a thread that we pulled over months.
“I was less bothered by what he was saying to me than trying to be forensic and getting him on the record. It paid dividends in the end. He had to leave parliament – because he’d lied.”
Keir Starmer
Partygate Scandal Exposed
The Partygate scandal was further illuminated by a report from Sue Gray, a former top civil servant. Her investigation exposed a shocking culture of repeated violations of Covid-19 restrictions by senior officials at No. 10 Downing Street.
The report included multiple photographs of Johnson and one of his successors, Rishi Sunak, attending a birthday gathering in defiance of lockdown rules on 19 June 2020. Both Johnson and Sunak received fines from the Metropolitan Police for their participation.
The scandal has had long-lasting repercussions for the Conservative Party. According to Professor Sir John Curtice, a leading polling expert, Partygate is a major factor contributing to the Tories’ current electoral struggles.
The fallout has left the party facing the prospect of a devastating defeat similar to the 1997 wipeout.
Adding to their woes, the Conservatives are grappling with a significant funding shortfall as donors shift their support to the Labour Party.
Recent figures show that from 6 June to 12 June, the Tories raised a mere £292,500, shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a general election scheduled for 4 July.
In contrast, Labour’s fundraising efforts have surged, with donors contributing £4.4 million to support Starmer’s campaign to become the next prime minister.
The financial disparity underscores the shifting political landscape as the Labour Party positions itself as the leading alternative to the Conservative government.
While the legacy of Partygate continues to cast a long shadow over the Tories, the funding gap could potentially shape the outcome of the general elections.
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