Boris Johnson has said a lockdown leaving party which he attended was "essential for work purposes".
The former said it was “important” for him to attend the leaving do of his former director of communications Lee Cain because it could have been a “potentially acrimonious” moment.
Johnson was facing questions from the Privileges Committee on Wednesday afternoon about whether he had misled parliament over partygate.
He was asked by Tory MP and Privileges Committee member Bernard Jenkin about a gathering November 13, 2020, in which Johnson was seen in a photograph giving a toast.
Johnson told the Committee: “This meeting happened on an impromptu basis, it had to happen.
“It happened because on November 13 two senior members… people will ask why was this happening, why was it necessary?
“It was necessary because two senior members of staff, the effective chief of staff and director of communications had both left the building, or were about to leave the building in pretty acrimonious circumstances — or what were potentially acrimonious circumstances.
“It was important for me to be there and to give reassurance.”
Johnson also said he was not fined by the Metropolitan Police for attending the event in No 10 and that the force “agreed it was a work-related event”.
He added: “I believe it was absolutely essential for work purposes."
Johnson could face a suspension if found guilty of committing a contempt of parliament. This would be if he "intentionally or recklessly" misled the house.
A suspension of more than 10 days could result in a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat. The full House of Commons would vote on any recommendations the committee makes.
Johnson swore on the Bible to tell the truth at the start of the hearing.
He then issued an apology and added: “I’m here to say to you, hand on heart, I did not lie to the House.
“When those statements were made, they were made in good faith and on the basis on what I honestly knew and believed at the time.”
He said if it was so “obvious” that rule-breaking was going on in No 10 then it would also have been “obvious” to others, including current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
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