I DID nearly quit over Boris, says ethics chief

BORIS Johnson’s ethics watchdog Lord Geidt has hinted he considered quitting over the Downing Street party scandal.

The peer said he was ‘clearly frustrated’ by the Prime Minister’s response to being fined by police for breaking lockdown laws in No 10 and resignation was ‘always on the agenda’.

Lord Geidt also told MPs ‘pressures’ were created by the numerous scrapes the PM had got himself into and that it had been an ‘especially busy year’.

And despite his title being independent adviser on ministers’ interests, the watchdog admitted it was very hard to convince people he did not have a ‘cosy’ relationship with Downing Street.

But he insisted he did now have the power to launch investigations into possible breaches of the ministerial code – and would not be afraid to do so. His comments were made to the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee.

Labour’s Harriet Harman will lead a probe into whether Mr Johnson misled parliament over lockdown parties. Fellow MPs yesterday confirmed her as the chairman of the committee of privileges inquiry.