Boris Johnson tells Sky News new allegations of lockdown rule breaking are ‘total nonsense’ | Politics News

The former prime minister was confronted by Sky News concerning the allegations as he made his option to an airport following a quick tour of the US.

Boris Johnson has insisted recent claims he broke lockdown guidelines are “total nonsense” and that parts of his ministerial diary had been “cherry-picked and handed to police”.

The former prime minister was confronted by Sky News concerning the allegations as he made his approach by means of the Dulles International Airport in Washington following a quick tour of the US.

Asked if he broke the principles he informed Sky’s US correspondent James Matthews: “This entire factor is a load of nonsense from starting to finish.

“I feel it is ridiculous that parts in my diary ought to be cherry-picked and handed over to the police, to the privileges committee with out even anyone having the fundamental widespread sense to ask me what these entries referred to.”

Mr Johnson was referred to the police by the Cabinet Office on Wednesday over occasions in Chequers and Downing Street following a evaluation of his official diary as half of the official COVID inquiry.

Pressed on whether or not the entries confirmed him “mingling with buddies”, Mr Johnson insisted “that’s completely not what these diary entries present”.

He mentioned: “I simply assume it’s very nonsensical and weird that there are tens of 1000’s of entries within the prime minister’s diary. I’ve by no means seen these items earlier than.

“I’ve regarded by means of it. None of them represent a breach of the principles throughout COVID, they weren’t throughout lockdown.

“They had been throughout different durations of the restrictions. None of them represent a breach of the principles. None of them contain socialising. It is complete nonsense.”

Mr Johnson has beforehand mentioned he believes he’s the sufferer of a “politically motivated stitch-up” and ditched the government-appointed legal professionals representing him within the COVID-19 public inquiry following his police referral.

He wouldn’t be drawn on who was “stitching him up” however mentioned: “Someone somewhere thinks it’s sensible to do this. I don’t.”

However a Labour supply mentioned: ‘If Boris Johnson is assured he has acted with proprietary, then he has nothing to concern from scrutiny.”

Mr Johnson has already been fined by the Met Police for breaking lockdown guidelines and is at the moment being investigated by the privileges committee over whether or not he lied to parliament over his repeated partygate denials.

On Friday night time the committee confirmed it had acquired new proof from the federal government and had written to Mr Johnson for a response.

A spokesperson mentioned: “The committee will take this proof and Mr Johnson’s response into consideration when contemplating its ultimate report. The committee is making progress with its inquiry expeditiously.”

The newest developments have turned consideration again once more to the partygate controversy which performed a serious function within the former prime minister’s downfall.

He was within the US on Wednesday when the information broke and through his tour met former president Donald Trump.

Johnson met Trump to ‘discuss Ukraine’

Earlier on Friday, Mr Johnson’s spokesperson mentioned the aim of this was “to debate the state of affairs in Ukraine and the important significance of Ukrainian victory”.

It isn’t clear the place the assembly befell, however throughout his US go to Mr Johnson stopped off in each Texas and Las Vegas.

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The two leaders have recognized one another for a few years and labored collectively when Mr Trump was US president and Mr Johnson was in cost at Downing Street.

Mr Trump has spoken extremely of Mr Johnson and earlier this month known as him a “great man” and “a buddy of mine”.

The two have beforehand been aligned on coverage points, equivalent to Brexit, however they’ve additionally diverged lately, most notably on Ukraine.

Mr Johnson was nonetheless prime minister when Russia invaded its southern neighbour final February and was a frontrunner in serving to rally worldwide help for the Ukrainian individuals and its army.

Meanwhile Mr Trump – who has touted his “very good relationship” with Russian President Vladimir Putin – has one thing of a chequered historical past involving Ukraine, relationship again to earlier than Moscow’s invasion final yr.

In September 2019, experiences emerged he had requested Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy to research then former vp Joe Biden, who was anticipated to run towards him within the 2020 presidential election.

That cellphone name led to Mr Trump’s first impeachment on expenses of abuse of energy and obstruction of congress – however he was not convicted after a trial within the senate.

Earlier this month, in a city corridor dialog broadcast as half of his 2024 presidential marketing campaign, Mr Trump – who’s working to be the Republican candidate once more – refused to say who he thinks ought to prevail and mentioned he’d finish the battle in simply 24 hours.

He mentioned: “I want everybody to stop dying. They’re dying. Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done in 24 hours.”