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Boris Johnson Is Summoned to Court Over Brexit Claims Boris Johnson Is Summoned to Court Over Brexit Claims
(32 minutes later)
LONDON — Boris Johnson, the front-runner to replace Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, was ordered on Wednesday to appear in court for a preliminary hearing over allegations that he lied to the public during the 2016 Brexit referendum.LONDON — Boris Johnson, the front-runner to replace Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain, was ordered on Wednesday to appear in court for a preliminary hearing over allegations that he lied to the public during the 2016 Brexit referendum.
Mr. Johnson, who later served as foreign secretary under Mrs. May, has been accused of misconduct in public office over several claims, including the implication that Britain paid 350 million pounds, or $440 million, every week to the European Union for the country’s membership. Mr. Johnson, a former foreign secretary under Mrs. May, has been accused of misconduct in public office over several claims, including the suggestion that Britain paid 350 million pounds, or $440 million, every week to the European Union for the country’s membership.
The £350 million figure was a central theme of the pro-Brexit campaign, which promised to invest that amount into the nation’s health service should Britain vote to leave the bloc. Mr. Johnson, one of the most prominent voices in favor of leaving the European Union, resigned as foreign secretary in 2018 in protest over the Brexit plan. The £350 million figure was a central theme of the pro-Brexit campaign, which promised to invest that amount into the nation’s health service should Britain vote to leave the bloc.
The prosecution of Mr. Johnson was made possible by the businessman Marcus Ball, who raised more than £200,000 pounds to provide the financial backing to pursue the case. Mr. Ball’s lawyers said that Mr. Johnson’s conduct had been both “irresponsible and dishonest.” The slogan was emblazoned on a Brexit campaign bus: “We send the EU £350m a week: let’s fund our NHS instead,” referring to the National Health Service.
No one from Mr. Johnson’s office could immediately be reached for comment. But he has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that the case was a political stunt by opponents of Brexit. But after Britons voted to leave the bloc by 52 percent to 48 percent, many supporters of Brexit abandoned the pledge, saying it had been a “mistake.” But opponents of Brexit argued that the campaign slogan had been a gross misuse of official statistics to deliberately mislead voters.
In a written ruling, District Judge Margot Coleman of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London said that Mr. Johnson should be summoned to court, while noting that the accusations had not been proven and she had not made any findings of the fact. The figure does not account for Britain’s rebate, which is deducted before it sends money to Brussels. Britain’s weekly net contribution to the European Union in April 2016 was about £190 million a week, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Mr. Johnson, one of the most prominent voices in favor of leaving the European Union, resigned as foreign secretary in 2018 in protest over Mrs. May’s Brexit plan.
His prosecution was made possible by a businessman, Marcus Ball, who raised more than £200,000 pounds to provide the financial backing to pursue the case. Mr. Ball’s lawyers said that Mr. Johnson’s conduct had been both “irresponsible and dishonest.”
No one from Mr. Johnson’s office could immediately be reached for comment. But he has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued that the case is a political stunt by opponents of Brexit.
In a written ruling, District Judge Margot Coleman of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London said that Mr. Johnson should be summoned to court, while noting that the accusations had not been proven and that she had not made any findings of the fact.
“Having considered all the relevant factors, I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offenses as drafted,” Judge Coleman said. “This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial.”“Having considered all the relevant factors, I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offenses as drafted,” Judge Coleman said. “This means the proposed defendant will be required to attend this court for a preliminary hearing, and the case will then be sent to the Crown Court for trial.”
The maximum punishment for the offense Mr. Johnson is accused of is life imprisonment after conviction.
Mr. Johnson, one of Britain’s most divisive politicians, is the favorite candidate in the contest to succeed Mrs. May when she steps down as prime minister next week, according to bookmakers.
A victory for him could increase the chances of Britain’s leaving the European Union without a deal in October, which could potentially have dire economic consequences.
“We will leave the E.U. on October 31, deal or no deal,” Mr. Johnson said at a conference in Switzerland last week. “The way to get a good deal is to prepare for a no deal.”