Boris Johnson urges Privileges Committee to publish ‘nonsense’ report
B
oris Johnson has urged the Commons Privileges Committee to publish its report on whether or not he lied to Parliament over partygate and “let the world judge their nonsense”.
In a press release on Tuesday, the previous prime minister lashed out on the panel’s “absurdly unfair rules”, which he stated prevented him from criticising its findings, and vowed to make his “views clear” when they’re launched.
It got here after the committee stated Mr Johnson had made last-minute representations forward of the discharge of its report, which is predicted to search out that he intentionally misled MPs together with his assurances that lockdown guidelines have been adopted in Downing Street.
The Privileges Committee ought to publish their report and let the world decide their nonsense
The committee stated it was “dealing with” submissions acquired from the ex-premier at 11.57pm on Monday.
The publication of its findings had already been pushed again in direction of the top of this week, reportedly on account of printing issues in Parliament, earlier than Mr Johnson’s Eleventh-hour representations.
In response, Mr Johnson stated: “The Privileges Committee should publish their report and let the world judge their nonsense.
“They have no excuse for delay.
“Their absurdly unfair rules do not even allow any criticism of their findings.
“I have made my views clear to the committee in writing – and will do so more widely when they finally publish.”
Mr Johnson beforehand attacked the seven-person committee, which is chaired by veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman however has a Conservative majority, as a “kangaroo court” when he introduced his Commons exit on Friday after receiving a draft of its findings.
A Privileges Committee spokesman stated on Tuesday: “A letter enclosing further representations from Mr Johnson was received by the committee at 11.57pm last night.
“The committee is dealing with these and will report promptly.”
The MPs on the panel have rejected Mr Johnson’s defence that senior officers suggested him Covid guidelines and steering had been adopted in No 10, in line with the Times.
A senior aide in truth warned him in opposition to claiming to the Commons that social distancing tips have been noticed, the newspaper reported.
Following his shock resignation, Mr Johnson launched right into a public spat with one-time ally Rishi Sunak over his resignation honours record.
The Prime Minister instructed his former boss wished him to disregard the suggestions of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
Mr Johnson’s camp accused him of getting “secretly blocked” the peerages of former tradition secretary Nadine Dorries and different allies in his resignation record.
The former prime minister launched a press release saying: “Rishi Sunak is talking rubbish.
“To honour these peerages it was not necessary to overrule Holac – but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality.”
One Downing Street supply stated the Cabinet Office had made it clear to Mr Johnson that there isn’t any re-vetting course of, whereas the Prime Minister’s spokesman stated it’s “entirely untrue to say that anyone from No 10 attempted to remove or change” the record.
Meanwhile, Ms Dorries seems nonetheless to not have formally resigned as a Tory MP after dramatically asserting her exit from Westminster shortly earlier than Mr Johnson final week.
The former Cabinet minister, who accused the Prime Minister of “duplicitously and cruelly” blocking her elevation to the House of Lords, on Friday stated she could be standing down with fast impact.
With Mr Johnson and ally Nigel Adams additionally quitting, Mr Sunak was left going through three difficult by-elections.
The PA news company understands that Chief Whip Simon Hart will transfer a movement often known as a “writ” on Wednesday for by-elections in Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Mr Adams’ Selby and Ainsty seat, giving between 21 and 27 working days for votes to be held.
But a 3rd by-election in Ms Dorries’ Mid Bedfordshire constituency is on maintain whereas she delays her formal resignation, thwarting the Conservatives’ purpose to restrict the political injury by holding all three contests on the identical day.
Despite the anticipated findings of the Privileges Committee this week, Mr Johnson insisted “I’ll be back”, quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator.
In the Daily Express, Mr Johnson stated “We must fully deliver on Brexit and on the 2019 manifesto. We must smash Labour at the next election.
“Nothing less than absolute victory and total Brexit will do – and as the great Arnold Schwarzenegger said, I’ll be back.”
The message echoed Mr Johnson’s sign-off throughout his remaining look at Prime Minister’s Questions final 12 months, when he informed MPs “Hasta la vista, baby” – the catchphrase of Schwarzenegger’s cyborg character within the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day.