Monday, May 15, 2023
Bailing out Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has just paid £3.8m cash for a nine bed mansion, and yet taxpayers continue to pick up his legal bills as he seeks to defend himself in an investigation into his conduct while Prime Minister.
The Independent reports that Johnson’s legal defence fees for the Partygate inquiry, covered by the taxpayer, have soared again as the government again extended the contract:
The former PM’s legal bill has risen from £222,000 to up to £245,000 after the deal with a team led by top barrister Lord Pannick KC was extended for a second time.
Labour said Rishi Sunak must explain why he has “failed to put a stop to this brazen scheme”, as opposition parties argue Mr Johnson should pay the bill himself.
Mr Johnson – who has made over £5m since leaving office – remains under investigation by MPs over whether he misled parliament about what he knew of rule-breaking parties at No 10.
Solicitors firm Peters and Peters was initially awarded a contract worth £129,700 in August to provide Mr Johnson with advice during the privileges committee’s probe.
No 10 and the Cabinet Office have claim there is precedent for former ministers getting legal support covered by the taxpayer for anything relating to their duties while in government.
The government has pointed to legal advice given to ex- ministers during public inquiries into the Grenfell disaster and the BSE disease outbreak.
But these cases were statutory public inquiries rather than parliamentary inquiries launched by MPs.
Most recently, the then-deputy Dominic Raab covered his own legal fees for the independent probe into bulling claims which saw him resign last month.
The decision to pay these fees is a disgrace. Johnson should be forced to cover the cost himself.
The Independent reports that Johnson’s legal defence fees for the Partygate inquiry, covered by the taxpayer, have soared again as the government again extended the contract:
The former PM’s legal bill has risen from £222,000 to up to £245,000 after the deal with a team led by top barrister Lord Pannick KC was extended for a second time.
Labour said Rishi Sunak must explain why he has “failed to put a stop to this brazen scheme”, as opposition parties argue Mr Johnson should pay the bill himself.
Mr Johnson – who has made over £5m since leaving office – remains under investigation by MPs over whether he misled parliament about what he knew of rule-breaking parties at No 10.
Solicitors firm Peters and Peters was initially awarded a contract worth £129,700 in August to provide Mr Johnson with advice during the privileges committee’s probe.
No 10 and the Cabinet Office have claim there is precedent for former ministers getting legal support covered by the taxpayer for anything relating to their duties while in government.
The government has pointed to legal advice given to ex- ministers during public inquiries into the Grenfell disaster and the BSE disease outbreak.
But these cases were statutory public inquiries rather than parliamentary inquiries launched by MPs.
Most recently, the then-deputy Dominic Raab covered his own legal fees for the independent probe into bulling claims which saw him resign last month.
The decision to pay these fees is a disgrace. Johnson should be forced to cover the cost himself.
