In the end common sense has prevailed – and swiftly. When District Judge Margot Coleman decided last week to issue a summons against Boris Johnson for misconduct in public office it looked as if the case would drag on for weeks or months. But exceptionally the High Court today intervened in the criminal case to stop it now, recognising that it would have inevitably failed had it made it to the Crown Court.
The arguments in court today centred around the nature of the crime that Boris Johnson was alleged to have committed. Misconduct in public office is an offence aimed at public officials who misuse their public position to such an extent that it constitutes a gross breach of trust. A prison officer helping to smuggle in drugs for prisoners, for example, or police officers feeding confidential information to the media.
The key argument in the current case was that though Johnson was undoubtedly a public office holder – both as mayor of London and as an MP – he was not exercising the duties of his office or any official powers when canvassing in the referendum.
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