Calls to add more Tories to Partygate committee

A TORY heavyweight must be added to the Partygate probe into Boris Johnson to boost his chances of a fair hearing, allies of the PM said last night.

They are demanding a senior ex-Minister should be named as a new member of the Commons Privileges Committee when MPs return from their summer recess next week.

Mr Johnson’s allies have condemned the inquiry as a ‘kangaroo court’ and a ‘show trial’ after it decided that it would not have to prove that he had knowingly misled MPs over lockdown parties at No10.

Friends of Mr Johnson raised concerns about ‘prejudgments and therefore bias’ of members of the seven-strong committee, which has a Tory majority but will be chaired for the inquiry by Labour MP Harriet Harman.

MPs will next week be asked to approve a replacement on the inquiry for Tory Laura Farris, who announced in the summer that she was standing down as a committee member.

Mr Johnson’s allies told The Mail on Sunday that Ms Farris must be replaced by a senior Conservative who would bring ‘some sense’ and experience to the proceedings.