Nadine Dorries, Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed for criticism of Boris report
F
ormer ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg, Nadine Dorries, and Priti Patel had been on Thursday named by the Commons Privileges Committee for a “campaign waged against it” over its damning report on Boris Johnson for deceptive Parliament over the “partygate” scandal.
The committee criticised a string of MPs and friends for his or her conduct however was “particularly concerned about attacks mounted by experienced colleagues”.
In an annex they listed among the assaults on the committee.
They embrace:
- Former Commons Leader Mr Rees-Mogg on March 22, requested whether or not he shared the view expressed by a few of Mr Johnson’s supporters that the method was a kangaroo courtroom, mentioned: “I think it makes kangaroo courts look respectable.”
- Ex-Culture Secretary Ms Dorries tweeting on June 15: “We also need to keep a close eye on the careers of the Conservative MPs who sat on that committee. Do they suddenly find themselves on chicken runs into safe seats? Gongs? Were promises made? We need to know if they were. Justice has to be seen to be done at all levels of this process.”
- Ex-Home Secretary Ms Patel on 16 March telling GB News “How can a handful of Members of Parliament in a Committee, you know, really be that objective in light of some of the individual comments that have been made. I don’t want to name people, but you know, it is a fact, the lack of transparency—the lack of accountability…I think there is a culture of collusion quite frankly involved here.”
The committee mentioned Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle had prevented abuse of the committee and its processes with a ruling on March 6.
However, the committee, which has a Tory majority and is chaired by Labour MP Harriet Harman added: “But what needs to be addressed is the campaign waged outside Parliament by some Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to undermine the Committee.
“Those involved used newspapers and radio and there was extensive use of social media.
“There were many examples but the Committee is particularly concerned about attacks mounted by experienced colleagues, including a serving Minister of the Crown, a former Leader of the House and a former Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and at least three Members of the House of Lords (one of whom is the serving Minister referred to above) who took it upon themselves to undermine procedures of the House of Commons.”
The senior MPs added: “This matter is made more difficult because two of the Members mounting the most vociferous attacks on the Committee did so from the platform of their own hosted TV shows. Attacks by experienced Members are all the more concerning as they would have known that during the course of an investigation it was not possible for the Privileges Committee to respond to the attacks.”
The Committee urged the Commons as a complete to approve its particular report criticising the interference on its inquiry into Mr Johnson who stop as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip earlier than its verdict was revealed that he had intentionally misled Parliament over events in No10 throughout Covid restrictions.
It additionally requested MPs to help the view that members of Parliament shouldn’t “impugn the integrity” of the committee or its members or “attempt to lobby or intimidate” them.
The committee additionally pressured that it could be for the Commons to contemplate any doable motion to be taken in opposition to the MPs and friends named within the particular report on Thursday.
Given that Rishi Sunak failed to participate within the vote backing the report on Mr Johnson’s conduct, the committee additionally mentioned if the Government doesn’t desk a movement to debate this newest particular report within the Commons, then an MP might write to the Speaker asking for this to occur.
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