High court quashes bid to prosecute Boris Johnson over false referendum claim about cost of EU – as it happened

Boris Johnson is not going to face a felony prosecution over claims he made throughout the referendum marketing campaign concerning the UK sending 350 million every week to the EU after profitable a excessive courtroom problem.

The previous international secretary was handed a summons, issued by District Decide Margot Coleman on Could 29, to attend Westminster magistrates’ courtroom to face three allegations of misconduct in public workplace.

However, following a listening to in London on Friday, Woman Justice Rafferty and Mr Justice Supperstone overturned the sooner choice.

Addressing Johnson’s barrister, Adrian Darbishire QC, Woman Justice Rafferty mentioned: “We’re persuaded, Mr Darbishire, so that you succeed, and the reduction that we grant is the quashing of the summonses.”

The decide mentioned causes for the courtroom’s ruling might be given at a later date.

Launching a non-public prosecution Marcus Ball, 29, claimed Johnson lied throughout the 2016 referendum marketing campaign by saying Britain gave £350m every week to the European Union.

He crowdfunded greater than £300,000 by an internet marketing campaign to carry the prosecution.

The £350m determine was emblazoned on the crimson marketing campaign bus utilized by Vote Go away throughout the referendum, with the slogan saying “We ship the EU £350m every week, let’s fund our NHS as an alternative”.

Darbishire argued that the try to prosecute Johnson was “politically motivated and vexatious”.

Johnson, who’s at present the entrance runner within the Conservative occasion management contest, didn’t have to look and didn’t attend the excessive courtroom listening to.