An ex-press chief to Boris Johnson said there is “no smoke without fire” as the former prime minister grapples with fresh claims of breaking COVID lockdown rules.
Will Walden, who served as Mr Johnson’s director of communications when he was mayor of London, said the latest allegations could prove “hugely embarrassing” for the former PM as he looks to exonerate himself from accusations he misled MPs over parties in Downing Street.
Mr Johnson has been battling fresh claims he broke lockdown rules after the Times reported that he had been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office after his diary revealed visits by friends to Chequers during the pandemic.
The trips to the country residence were highlighted during preparations for a public inquiry into COVID, as well as new allegations about his behaviour in Downing Street, the newspaper reported.
Mr Johnson complained of a “politically motivated stitch-up” after the information was passed onto the Metropolitan Police and Thames Valley Police, saying the events in question were “lawful”.
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But Mr Walden told Sky News that the “friends and family thing could prove hugely significant, hugely embarrassing and a big problem for Boris moving forward”.
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“I suspect he’s probably, as usual, huffing and puffing about it,” he said.
“The problem is that it’s too early to say what has happened here, we simply don’t have enough detail. I doubt as the story stands this morning it has changed anyone’s mind.
“If you disliked Boris, this will be more evidence that you were right to. If you were a fan, it’s more evidence that the… establishment is out to get him.”
But he added: “The problem for Boris is that there’s often no smoke without fire.”
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“This is undoubtedly an issue, and the timing couldn’t be worse and that will worry him.”
A number of Mr Johnson’s allies have leapt to his defence, with former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg telling viewers on GB News that the latest claims were just “another example of how those who don’t like Boris, mainly because of Brexit, are always looking for something to have a go at him on”.
Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP for Mansfield, told Sky News he believed “the world has moved on” and suggesting “various forces” in the civil service were looking to “remove” politicians from office – including the embattled home secretary Suella Braverman.
But Mr Walden said he did not think it “helps Boris” to have his allies “protesting quite vigorously and vociferously as they are”, adding: “I think that starts to look a bit weak.”
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He was joined by Lord Hayward, the Conservative peer and pollster, who said it was “right” that Mr Johnson’s diary entries were being investigated – otherwise there could be allegations of a “cover up”.
He went on to say that comments by Mr Johnson’s team that the allegations are a “stitch up” are “probably ill-advised”.
“I actually do believe that events happen in a series of circumstances.
“Therefore, it’s come out because someone has been looking at diaries in terms of the COVID inquiry, as we understand it.
“I think it’s unlikely to be ‘a stitch up’, it’s just a series of events that have to be looked at.”
Sky News understands all legal options are being considered by Mr Johnson’s team. His lawyers have also written to the police “to explain in detail why the Cabinet Office is entirely wrong in its assertions”.
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His spokesperson said: “The assertion by the Cabinet Office that there have been further COVID rule breaches is totally untrue.
“Lawyers have examined the events in question and advised that they were lawful.
“No contact was made with Mr Johnson before these incorrect allegations were made both to the police and to the privileges committee. This is both bizarre and unacceptable.
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“For whatever political purpose, it is plain that a last-ditch attempt is being made to lengthen the privileges committee investigation as it was coming to a conclusion and to undermine Mr Johnson.”
The Cabinet Office said the information was passed on “in line with the civil service code”.
A spokesperson said: “Information came to light during the process of preparing evidence for submission to the COVID Inquiry.
“It was identified as part of the normal disclosure review of potentially relevant documents being undertaken by the legal team for inquiry witnesses.
“In line with obligations in the Civil Service Code, this material has been passed to the relevant authorities and it is now a matter for them.”
Police are currently “assessing” concerns, but a formal investigation has not yet been launched.
