Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a speech on energy security at EDF's Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk, Britain, on Sept. 1, 2022. Even as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to step down, the debate over his conduct in office is heating up.
While the inquiry may seem arcane, it could prove a major setback for Johnson, who will remain a member of Parliament after he steps down as prime minister on Tuesday. If Johnson is found in contempt of Parliament he could be suspended from the House of Commons and face a recall election, threatening his position in the Conservative Party amid suggestions he would like to make another run at the prime minister's post.
"The Committee has failed to understand that to prove contempt against Mr. Johnson, it is necessary to establish that he intended to mislead the House," they said. "The threat of contempt proceedings for unintentional mistakes would have a seriously chilling effect on all members."'