Boris Johnson court case – What was the misconduct allegation against the Tory leadership candidate and what’s the latest?
BORIS Johnson was the subject of an unprecedented legal action brought by a Remain supporter over claims he made during the EU referendum, but it's now been squashed.
Here’s what you need to know about the case and what it was that the Tory leadership candidate claimed that led to it.
What was the Tory leadership candidate accused of?
Boris Johnson will not face court over his £350m Brexit bus claim - after his lawyers argued it was a ";nonsense" and "politically driven" Remainer campaign.
The Brexiteer big beast's representatives earlier fought back against a court challenge saying he committed misconduct in public office, arguing the judge who issued the summons "erred in law".
Boris Johnson could have faced trial over claims he was lying when he said the UK gave the European Union £350 million a week during the 2016 referendum.
The figure was emblazoned on the red campaign bus used by Vote Leave during the referendum, with the slogan saying: "We send the EU £350 million a week let's fund our NHS instead".
The front runner in the Tory leadership race was accused of misconduct in public office after making the claim during the campaign, following a private prosecution by campaigner Marcus Ball.
Lawyers representing Mr Ball lodged an application to summons Mr Johnson to court, claiming he had deliberately misled the public during the Brexit referendum campaign in 2016 and then repeated the statement during the 2017 general election.
Today the High Court threw out the summons, which would have dragged him into court to face a trial.
Mr Johnson's lawyers argued the attempt to prosecute the former foreign secretary by a Remain supporter was the culmination of a "politically-driven process".
A crowd-funded campaign was trying to prosecute him, claiming he lied when he said that Britain sends £350million a week to the EU.
They said it all boiled down to an argument about whether it was the net figure or the gross figure should be used, and he didn't mislead the public.
During three and a half hours of arguments, Adrian Darbishire QC, for Mr Johnson, said: "The only rational conclusion which could be reached (by the judge) was that the prosecution was politically motivated and, therefore, vexatious."
And he argued that the proposed prosecution was "an area of public life that has never previously been subject to the attentions of the criminal law".
Mr Darbishire told the court that the making of false statements "must be as old as political campaigning itself" and that Mr Johnson's use of the £350 million figure could not be characterised as misconduct.
As soon as the £350million claim was made it immediately became a subject of fierce debate, they added.
Boris wasn't present at today's High Court hearing, but was seen leaving a home in London this morning.
A spokesperson said he won't be commenting on today's case.
Boris was issued with a summons last month to appear at court, to answer charges of three counts of misconduct in a public office, but that decision has now been overturned.
He's the favourite to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister after she officially steps down today.
Lewis Power QC, representing Mr Ball, told an earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in May: "Democracy demands responsible and honest leadership from those in public office.
"The conduct of the proposed defendant Boris Johnson was both irresponsible and dishonest. It was, we say, criminal."
A section of the judge's ruling included Mr Johnson's position which said the case was a “political stunt”.
A source close to the MP said the prosecution was "nothing less than a politically motivated attempt to reverse Brexit and crush the will of the people".
"The claimant has openly admitted that his plan is to overturn the referendum via a legal challenge and he clearly intends to try and undermine the one man who can truly deliver Brexit.
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"The decision to issue a summons is extraordinary, and flies in the face of hundreds of years of British democratic tradition."
Mr Ball raised more than £200,000 through a "Brexit Justice" crowdfunding campaign to pay for the private prosecution.
Originally from Norfolk, he has worked full-time on the prosecution case since June 2016.
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