Boris Johnson’s resignation raises the question of whether a number of political scandals linked to his time in power will ever be properly resolved. These are some of the outstanding questions.
Wallpapergate
The source of funding to renovate Johnson’s Downing Street flat and whether he broke the rules is back in the spotlight after the Independent obtained a leaked invoice suggesting it cost more than £200,000.
A £30,000 annual taxpayer-funded grant is available to the Prime Minister for renewal.
Johnson initially claimed to have raised £58,000 for some of the repairs, but it later emerged that the money had been lent by millionaire and fellow Tory Lord Brownlow – with whom Johnson had exchanged messages seeking funds for the works, as while promising to consider plans for a “great exhibition”.
After an investigation, the prime minister’s ethics adviser at the time, Lord Hyde, criticized Johnson for acting “unreasonably” but cleared him of breaching the ministerial code.
Six months before Geidt’s findings, cabinet minister Lord True told MPs that “all the costs of the larger renovation this year have been met by the Prime Minister personally”.
Lebedev/Lavrov
On Wednesday, Johnson admitted that when he was foreign secretary, he met with Alexander Lebedev without officials present in April 2018, during a trip to a castle in Italy owned by Yevgeny Lebedev, the son of the former KGB agent. for a weekend party.
On Thursday, Yvette Cooper used an urgent question in the House of Commons to ask whether Alexander Lebedev had wanted to arrange a private phone call between Johnson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the trip. No substantive response was given, but Lebedev denied the allegations.
Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee is investigating Johnson’s appointment of Yevgeny Lebedev to the premiership despite initial concerns raised by MI5 about his father’s previous work in the KGB.
Covid inquiry
The pandemic inquiry formally opened last week, but is not expected to begin hearings until next year.
Its mandate includes making government decisions regarding isolation and nursing homes, as well as the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE). The awarding of Covid contracts to people with political connections through a non-tendered “VIP lane” was highly controversial.
The grieving families insisted that Johnson’s departure should not stop him from being held accountable.
Partygate
An investigation is underway into whether Johnson lied about Partygate and has set a July 29 deadline for evidence.
The House of Commons is investigating whether Johnson deliberately misled parliament by repeatedly denying that Covid rules had been broken to number 10 parties breaking the law when challenged.
He may be ordered to give evidence under oath to the inquiry.
Pincher
The final nail in the coffin for the prime minister was his changing history and handling of allegations relating to his – until recently – deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher.
After Pincher resigned following allegations of groping, No 10 initially insisted Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegations when he promoted him in February. Three days later, he admitted that he was personally aware of the allegations against Pincher at the time.
It was acknowledged on Tuesday that the prime minister had been briefed on an internal investigation that upheld a complaint about Pincher’s conduct in 2019, but parliament was told he had “no immediate recollection” of being briefed.
Pincher was suspended from the Tory party but remains under pressure to stand down as an MP until details of the incident that sparked the 2019 inquiry were revealed.
Other Tory MPs are under investigation
David Warburton, the Conservative MP for Somerton and Frome, was suspended from the parliamentary party in April after a series of allegations relating to sexual harassment and cocaine use.
Warburton, who is married with two children, told the Sunday Telegraph he had “enormous amounts of protection but unfortunately the way things work means it doesn’t come out first”.
An unnamed Tory MP was arrested in May on suspicion of rape and other sexual offences. His whip was not removed, but he was told to stay away from Parliament.
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