Nadine Dorries interviews former prime minister Boris Johnson (Picture: Shutterstock)
Boris Johnson has said anyone who thinks he knew he was breaking lockdown rules at Downing Street parties is ‘out of their mind’.
The ex-prime minister, who was fined for attending his birthday party in 2020, faces an investigation by cross-party MPs on the Commons standards committee over whether he lied to parliament when he said ‘the rules were followed at all times’.
But in an interview for TalkTV with his former culture secretary and loyal cabinet ally Nadine Dorries, Mr Johnson said it should be ‘obvious’ that he believed the gatherings were ‘within the rules’.
He added the thought he was knowingly going to, or covering up, illegal parties in No.10 was ‘all strictly for the birds’. Mr Johnson said: ‘And if anybody thinks like that, they’re out of their mind.’
In total, 126 fines have been handed out to Downing Street staff for parties held during the pandemic at a time when indoor gatherings were restricted.
ITV News also reported Mr Johnson once joked with staff during a boozy No.10 leaving do that it was ‘the most unsocially distanced party in the UK right now’.
The former prime minister did not deny the direct quote when it was put to him, the channel said.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has been in Washington DC meeting senior Republicans.
Former PM quizzed on new TV show.
