Facts

When asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether a Prime Minister who had been found to have lied to Parliament should quit, Dominic Raab said: "He would normally, if it's not corrected, if it's lying, and deliberate... if it's not corrected immediately, it would normally, under the ministerial code and the governance around Parliament, be a resigning matter.”

He went on to say: "We uphold the highest standards of principles in public life. That is critically important."

This came after Boris Johnson repeatedly denied that any parties took place at Downing Street over Christmas. 

But the first Sue Gray report published a few weeks later, found that there were at least four gatherings held at Downing Street, which she concluded: "should not have been allowed to take place or to develop in the way that they did."

She also confirmed that a gathering was held at Mr Johnson’s own flat in Downing Street flat on 13 November 2020, the day Dominic Cummings left Number 10. It is one of 12 events being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.

Ms Gray added: "at least some of the gatherings represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time"

Since the report was published, Dominic Raab has not called for Mr Johnson’s resignation, despite it being clear that the Prime Minister was misleading the public. 

Verdict

Dominic Raab told the Today Programme that "We uphold the highest standards of principles in public life,” adding for greater emphasis  that “That is critically important." This statement from the Justice Secretary was sheer nonsense, as this website demonstrates and Raab must surely have been only too well aware. 

We approached Dominic Raab's office and the No10 Press Office to give him a chance to comment, but received no response.