London: Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain's next prime minister, must attend court over allegations that he knowingly lied during campaigning for the Brexit referendum, a judge announced Wednesday. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, will be summoned to appear before a London court to face allegations of misconduct in public office, judge Margot Coleman said in a written decision without specifying the date.

The private prosecution is being brought over the 2016 claim that Britain sends ?350 million ($440 million, 400 million euros) a week to the European Union. The decision follows a hearing last week at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, during which lawyers for businessman Marcus Ball, who crowd-funded the bid, lodged an application to summon Johnson. "The allegations which have been made are unproven accusations and I do not make any findings of fact," Coleman said. "Having considered all the relevant factors I am satisfied that this is a proper case to issue the summons as requested for the three offences as drafted.