Boris Johnson denied particular entry to parliament as MPs endorse report which mentioned he lied

Boris Johnson has been stripped of particular entry to parliament after MPs endorsed the privileges committee’s report that he lied about events in Downing Street throughout the COVID pandemic.

MPs voted by 354 to seven to again the report’s findings.

A complete of 118 Conservatives voted for the report, whereas 225 abstained.

A debate was held within the Commons on Monday afternoon asking MPs to think about the report, which discovered the previous prime minister knowingly misled parliament a number of instances together with his statements about gatherings in Number 10 throughout lockdown.

Earlier within the day, there had been uncertainty over whether or not there could be a vote on the report – however after shouts of “no” have been heard within the Chamber, a division was held and a proper vote occurred.

A complete of eight Cabinet ministers backed the privileges committee report, together with Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Chief Whip Simon Hart and Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt.

The seven Conservative MPs who voted in opposition to the report have been Bill Cash, Nick Fletcher, Adam Holloway, Karl McCartney, Joy Morrissey, Desmond Swayne and Heather Wheeler.

Rishi Sunak ‘too weak to show up’ to vote – politics newest

In its damning report, the committee beneficial that Mr Johnson ought to have served a 90-day suspension from the Commons had he not resigned as an MP simply days earlier

It additionally mentioned he ought to have his proper to entry parliament as a former MP revoked – a sanction that attracted robust criticism from his supporters.

During the controversy, various Tory MPs rose to their toes to criticise Mr Johnson – together with his predecessor Theresa May, who praised the committee for its “rigorous” report.

“It is not easy to sit in judgment on friends and colleagues,” she mentioned, “but friendship, working together, should not get in the way of doing what is right.

“I commend the members of the privileges committee for his or her painstaking work, and for his or her dignity within the face of slurs on their integrity. To all of the members of the committee, this House ought to… say thanks to your service.”

Harriet Harman – the Labour chair of the committee whom Mr Johnson accused of conducting a “kangaroo courtroom” – thanked the Conservative members who took part in the probe for their “excellent dedication and dedication”.

“They have had to withstand a campaign of threats, intimidation, and harassment designed to challenge the legitimacy of the inquiry, to drive them off the committee and thereby frustrate the intention of the House that this inquiry should be carried out,” she mentioned.

Ms Harman was challenged by Johnson supporter Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, who questioned whether or not she was acceptable to guide the inquiry given her earlier tweets that had been crucial of the previous prime minister.

But Ms Harman confirmed that she had checked with the federal government that it was comfortable for her to chair the committee and had in reality supplied to step apart.

“I actually said I am more than happy to step aside because perception matters and I don’t want to do this if the government doesn’t have confidence in me, because I need the whole House of have confidence in the work that the committee has mandated,” she mentioned.

“I was assured that I should continue the work that the House had mandated with the appointment that the House had put me into and so I did just that.”

Elsewhere in his speech, Sir Jacob, who acquired a knighthood in Mr Johnson’s controversial resignation honours listing, mentioned it was “ridiculous” to take away Mr Johnson’s proper to entry parliament as former MP.

He additionally denounced the committee’s proposed sanction of a 90-day suspension from parliament as “vindictive”.

He informed MPs that it was “absolutely legitimate to criticise the conduct of a committee, to criticise the members of a committee”, including: “That is politics.”

Read extra:
Boris Johnson: What the previous PM informed the privileges committee about partygate
Sunak must clear the air after stench left by Johnson, Truss and their resignation honours

Nick Fletcher, the Tory MP for Don Valley, additionally confirmed he wouldn’t vote for the report on the grounds that the nation “needs to move on”.

The debate and vote comes after the committee’s damning verdict issued final week, discovered Mr Johnson responsible of impugning the committee and being complicit in a “campaign of intimidation” in opposition to its members.

The former prime minister instantly hit again at what he known as a “deranged conclusion” and branded the committee’s report a “charade”, including its investigation had delivered “what is intended to be the final knife-thrust in a protracted political assassination”.

Rishi Sunak – who was not current for the controversy or vote – was accused of a “cowardly cop-out” by the Liberal Democrats.

Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP mentioned his failure to vote “says all you need to know about this prime minister’s lack of leadership”.

“Sunak promised integrity yet when push came to shove, he was too weak to even turn up.”