Boris Johnson’s Partygate fine may have broken the Ministerial Code, the PM’s ethics chief suggested tonight.
Lord Geidt warned there is a “legitimate question” about whether an illegal birthday party on 19 June 2020 broke the ethics rules guiding all politicians in government.
In a damning annual report slipped out by No10 before the Queen’s Jubilee, Lord Geidt demanded Boris Johnson account in public for whether or not he thought he broke the Code.
In a stinging rebuke, Lord Geidt said he had repeatedly the Prime Minister to publicly explain why he thought incurring a fixed penalty notice would not be in breach of the code of conduct for ministers - but said: "That advice has not been heeded."
The move piles fresh pressure on Boris Johnson as almost 30 Tory MPs call for him to quit - prompting speculation there could be a no confidence vote as soon as next week.
Two sources today told the Mirror Lord Geidt was considering his future in the role - but Number 10 denied he had offered his resignation.
A source said Downing Street had “spent all day trying to talk him round.”
The Independent Adviser on ministerial interests also slammed the PM’s proposed reforms to his powers - which blocked a request by Lord Geidt to start his own probes, without the PM's permission.
That means Lord Geidt can only investigate whether the PM's £50 fine broke the Code if the PM gives him permission.
The peer wrote: “Granting the Independent Adviser an independent right to initiate inquiries into ministerial conduct has been called for over many years.
“The changes now offered by the Government are at a low level of ambition.”
The peer suggested Boris Johnson was making it “difficult to inspire trust” in the Ministerial Code because he is refusing to refer to it in public.
Lord Geidt wrote: "Whether unfairly or not, an impression has developed that the Prime Minister may be unwilling to have his own conduct judged against the Code’s obligations.”
He went on: “It may be especially difficult to inspire that trust in the Ministerial Code if any Prime Minister, whose code it is, declines to refer to it.
“In the case of the Fixed Penalty Notice recently issued to and paid by the Prime Minister, a legitimate question has arisen as to whether those facts alone might have constituted a breach of the overarching duty within the Ministerial Code of complying with the law.
“It may be that the Prime Minister considers that no such breach of his Ministerial Code has occurred.
“In that case, I believe a Prime Minister should respond accordingly, setting out his case in public.”
But the Prime Minister blamed officials for the row, claiming there had been a “failure of communications” between their two offices.
“I was not aware of the weight you put on the absence of an explicit reference to the Ministerial Code,” Mr Johnson wrote.
He added: “Taking account of all the circumstances, I did not breach the Code.
“In coming to the conclusion I have duly considered past precedents of Ministers who have unwittingly breached regulations where there was no intent to break the law.”
Growing numbers of Tories believe Boris Johnson will face a no confidence vote as soon as next week as more MPs questioned whether he had told the truth over parties in No10.
Ex-leader William Hague today declared the Prime Minister is in “real trouble” and Tory MPs are “moving towards having a ballot”, “either next week or around the end of June”.
Reports emerged today that Tory whips and even the Prime Minister himself has been calling round wavering MPs in a desperate ‘save Boris’ campaign.
It comes after almost 30 Tory MPs publicly demanded the PM resign and several more publicly criticised him over Sue Gray’s Partygate report, while stopping short of a no confidence letter.
It takes 54 letters to the back bench 1922 Committee to trigger a no confidence vote. Most believe he will survive - though when Theresa May survived hers in 2018 she ended up quitting months later.
One-time ally Andrea Leadsom today accused Boris Johnson of “unacceptable failings of leadership” as the Prime Minister’s premiership plunged into fresh peril.
And another MP submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence in the PM.
John Stevenson said: "Sadly, the Prime Minister appears unwilling to bring matters to a head and submit himself to such a vote.
“Therefore, the only option is for the Conservative MPs to facilitate a vote of confidence. I have already taken the appropriate action."
