Boris Johnson’s Brexit Claims Were Dishonest, Private Prosecutor Says

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. Conservative Party frontrunner Boris Johnson made false claims about British spending on the European Union and should face criminal charges, according to a man trying to privately prosecute the politician in a London court.

A lawyer for campaigner Marcus Ball said the member of Parliament had a case to answer for misconduct in a public office. Johnson’s "infamous" claim that the U.K. sent 350 million pounds ($443 million) per week to the EU -- one of the central tenets of the Brexit campaign -- were "deliberately crafted" to have maximum impact but were false, Ball’s attorney said.

"The conduct of the proposed defendant Boris Johnson was both irresponsible and dishonest, it was we say, ‘criminal,”’ Lewis Power said Thursday at Westminster Magistrates Court. "Notoriety and fame offer Mr. Johnson no protection."

The unprecedented attempt to privately prosecute Johnson could be an embarrassment for the politician, who is the favorite to succeed Theresa May when she formally resigns as leader of the Conservatives and U.K. prime minister.

Johnson’s lawyer Adrian Darbishire said it is "absolutely denied that he acted in an improper or dishonest manner at any time."

Thursday’s hearing was for legal arguments over whether Johnson should be ordered to attend court. His attorney said it wasn’t the moment to discuss or challenge Johnson’s statements during the campaign.

"The criminal offense is narrowly confined to the serious abuse of state power," Darbishire said. Any potential misconduct should have been considered by a standards committee in Parliament or a similar forum, he said.

Ball, a 29-year-old former founder of technology companies, has been attempting to crowdfund the proposed prosecution. He said he’d considered various individuals from both sides of the Brexit debate before deciding on Johnson.

"The defense say this is a political stunt," Power said. "The only political stunt were the lies told by the proposed defendant."

Judge Margot Coleman said she would issue her ruling May 29.

The 350 million-pound spending claim was painted on the side of a bus and cited repeatedly during the Brexit campaign. The number was a gross figure, Power said.

"He knew the figure was wrong still he chose to repeat it over and over and over," Power said.

Darbishire said commentators had forever been complaining about the quality and conduct of political debate. He said: "The conduct of which is complained of here, is not in any way novel."

--With assistance from Alex Morales.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Browning in London at jbrowning9@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net, Christopher Elser, Stuart Biggs

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