Who are the privileges committee MPs who investigated whether Boris Johnson misled parliament over partygate?
Boris Johnson focused much of his wrath on the House of Commons privileges committee when resigning as an MP.
In his letter, Mr Johnson said the committee’s “purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the fact”.
He added that this was “the very definition of a kangaroo court”.
In response, the committee said it had “followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so.
“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement.
“The committee will meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly. “
What is the privileges committee?
The House of Commons privileges committee is a cross-party group of MPs which is there to “consider specific matters relating to privileges referred by the House”.
Privilege, in this instance, is the ability of MPs to speak freely in the House of Commons without the threat of legal prosecution – and the ability to self-regulate.
In this case, the committee is regulating whether Boris Johnson deliberately misled them – something which would equate to contempt of parliament.
It was once merged with the committee on standards – but they have since been split, with the standards body now including members who are not MPs.
The standards brief is more broad, and relates to matters of conduct.
Who is on the privileges committee?
It is made up of seven MPs – four Conservatives, two from Labour and one from the SNP.
The MPs are voted onto the committee by their colleagues and reflect the political make-up of the House.
Labour’s Sir Chris Bryant is normally the chair, but recused himself from this investigation as he had already made a number of public comments about partygate.
Instead, senior Labour backbencher and mother of the House Harriet Harman took his place.
The other members are Tories Andy Carter, Alberto Costa, Sir Bernard Jenkin and Sir Charles Walker, as well as Labour’s Yvonne Fovargue and the SNP’s Allan Dorans.
What are their powers?
Technically, the only powers the committee has is to issue a report for the Commons for MPs to consider.
In its findings, it can conclude that an individual has been found to have “committed a contempt” in misleading the House, and it can recommend sanctions – ranging from an oral or written apology through to suspension for a specified period or even expulsion from the Commons.
But it falls to MPs to decide whether to accept the findings of the report and to follow through with any sanction.
If MPs agree to a suspension of 10 sitting days or 14 calendar days upwards, it would have triggered a recall petition for Mr Johnson, allowing his constituents in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to vote on whether to hold a by-election for his seat.
This is now academic, after Mr Johnson announced he is standing down, but the House will still vote on the report.
What did Boris Johnson tell them?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
March: ‘I did not lie to the House’
Boris Johnson took part in a blockbuster evidence session before the privileges committee earlier this year.
He started, unconventionally, by swearing an oath on a bible to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God”.
This meant the testimony was subject to the Perjury Act 1911 – so lying or providing a false account would be a criminal offence.
Not long afterwards, Mr Johnson told the committee that “hand on heart, I did not lie to the House.”
He said it was “absolutely essential for work purposes” to have a leaving “do” for some members of Number 10 staff who left during the pandemic.
At one point, he appeared to lose his temper while defending what happened in Number 10 during COVID.
Asked if he would have advised anyone else in the country at the time to hold a large-scale social gathering in the garden, he insisted it “was not a large social gathering, it was a gathering”.
“I really must insist this point, people who say that we were partying in lockdown simply do not know what they are talking about,” he said.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
One of his main defences was that he received assurances from senior members of staff that the events were not breaking the rules.
The former MP also attacked the committee – saying their actions were “manifestly unfair”.
A body has been found in the search for 23-year-old runner Jenny Hall.
She was last seen leaving her home in Barracks Farm, County Durham, in her car just after 3pm on Tuesday.
Police said there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances after a body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale on Sunday morning, five days after she went missing.
Jenny Hall went missing on Tuesday. Pic: Durham Constabulary
“We’re sorry to report that officers searching for missing woman Jenny Hall, have sadly found a body,” Durham Constabulary said in a statement.
“Officers carried out an extensive search alongside specialist partners and have been working around-the-clock to locate Jenny after she went missing on February 18.
“The body was found in a very remote area in Teesdale just after 9.30am today.
“Formal identification has yet to take place. Jenny’s family have been notified and are currently being supported by specialist officers. They have asked for privacy at this devasting time.
“It is not believed there are any suspicious circumstances and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
A major police search was launched after Ms Hall’s disappearance.
Her car, a red Ford Focus, was found on Wednesday parked on the B6278, near remote moorland between Eggleston and Stanhope.
Mountain rescue teams, specialist drones and sniffer dogs had been combing the Hamsterley Forest and the surrounding areas, where there are a number of running trails, this week.
Digital intelligence officers also carried out extensive inquiries into Ms Hall’s mobile phone, smart watch and running apps.
A fresh amber weather warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office – with much of the UK already on alert for high winds and showers.
Northern Ireland, Scotland and the UK’s west coast and the Midlands have yellow warnings for wind on Sunday – meaning the possibility of transport delays and short-term power cuts.
There are also rain warnings in place for several parts of western UK.
The new amber warning has been issued for rain in south and central Wales and is in force from 3pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday.
An amber warning means danger to life from floodwater, homes and businesses are likely to be flooded, and there is a chance some communities will be cut off.
Winds across the west of the UK will increase throughout the morning with gusts up to 70mph in exposed areas, the Met Office said.
Zoe Hutin, a meteorologist at the forecaster, said Sunday is expected to be the “worst day” before conditions improve.
“The wind warning itself for the mainland UK ends at 6pm, but we can expect to continue to see quite blustery conditions even into the evening as the mainland rain itself pushes through.”
She added: “By the time people get up on Monday, we’ll still have some of the residual rain from that front in the far south-east of the country, and quite cloudy across England as well.
“But actually elsewhere, it could be a decent start.”
The Met Office’s yellow weather warnings for much of England and Scotland came into force at 6am and are expected to run until 6pm on Sunday.
A separate yellow warning for Northern Ireland came into force at 3am and runs until 3pm.
Rain and high winds are expected across the west of the UK
Read more from Sky News:
Motorways closed after human remains found
Starmer asks US to stand by Ukraine
People who have noticed some slightly higher temperatures the last couple of days may be dismayed at the latest predictions.
“Through the week, those temperatures are trending back down,” Ms Hutin said.
“And so it will be getting cooler each day, but they will actually just be recovering to around average for the time of year. So it won’t be cold.
“It will just be returning back to where we would expect to be for this time of February.”
Sir Keir Starmer has said the United States “is right” about the UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence and security.
The prime minister, speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, said he is clear Britain “will take a leading responsibility” in protecting the continent.
“Instability in Europe always washes up on our shores,” he said.
“And this is a generational moment. I’ve been saying for some time that we Europeans – including the United Kingdom – have to do more for our defence and security. The US is right about that.”
He added “we can’t cling to the comforts of the past” as it is “time to take responsibility for our security”.
Politics latest: Starmer’s stinging rebuke of Reform
Donald Trump sparked an emergency meeting of European leaders this week after he said European NATO members should spend more on defence, while the US should spend less.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Will Trump and Starmer have a ‘Love Actually’ moment?
Sir Keir has said he will set out a path for the UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, up from the current 2.3%, but has not indicated when that will be.
It is believed he may announce the details when he visits Mr Trump in Washington DC on Thursday, bringing forward the announcement that was expected in the spring when a defence spending review is published.
The prime minister reiterated the UK will “play our role” if required in Ukraine following a peace agreement after he earlier this week said the UK would send troops to be part of a peacekeeping force.
Sir Keir will meet Donald Trump in the White House on Thursday. Pic: AP
However, his comments caused a row with Germany and Italy who said it was premature to commit to boots on the ground, although France agreed with the UK.
Sir Keir said: “As we enter a new phase in this conflict, we must now deepen our solidarity even further.”
He added: “There can be no discussion about Ukraine without Ukraine.
“And the people of Ukraine must have long-term security.”
Read more:
Starmer tells Zelenskyy this is ‘significant moment’ for European security
Sombre Starmer and Europe confront emerging new world order
This week has seen US officials meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine – which has been met with indignation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as none of his team were invited.
No Europeans were invited either, sparking concern the US is pandering to Vladimir Putin.
Sir Keir has promised Mr Zelenskyy he will make the case for safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty when he meets with Mr Trump, who has called the Ukrainian president a dictator.
Mr Trump also said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, who will visit the White House too this week, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports11 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway