Harriet Harman reveals extra proof Boris trial was ‘disinterested within the reality’

Senior Labour MP Harriet Harman has revealed clerks engaged on the Commons Privileges Committee, which compelled Boris Johnson out of parliament, did “hilarious” impressions of the ex-PM whereas rehearsing for the trial.

Speaking to Iain Dale on the Edinburgh Fringe, Ms Harman stated the clerk did an “absolutely hilarious” impression of Mr Johnson, stepping into character and delivering an “excellent” role-play.

She revealed the Committee did two complete days of rehearsals for the trial, as they didn’t need to “cock it up”.

“We were feeling this global focus on it and we all felt we had to get it absolutely right,”

“We had two whole days of rehearsals of it, with one of the clerks being Boris Johnson, which was absolutely hilarious because he was ruffling his hair and role-playing.”

“And normally the clerks are very stayed, sober, rational, logical people but he really took to it – he really did it excellently.”

The revelation of lighthearted impersonations provides additional ammunition to Mr Johnson’s allies who claimed all through the trial Ms Harman’s committee was a biased kangaroo court docket.

Amid such allegations, her committee printed a rebuttal weblog on their web site, together with a declare that: “All Clerks are employees of the House of Commons and impartial”.

Responding to Ms Harman’s interview, prime Tory MP and Boris Johnson ally Sir James Duddridge instructed the Express it’s but extra proof that they have been “disinterested in the real truth”.

Sir James stated: ”More proof, if it have been wanted, that it was political pantomime, rehearsed, wanting to take advantage of the state of affairs and disinterested in the actual reality”.

“Boris is a great man trying to do his best with a team committed to getting us out of covid in one piece.”

Ms Harman instructed Iain Dale it was “very galling to see Members of Parliament saying ‘this is a kangaroo court’”.

“It wasn’t a kangaroo court, it was a committee of the House of Commons which they had asked to be set up.

“They’d set the terms of reference, they’d agreed all the members and therefore just when it looked like we were going to make a finding they didn’t agree with, was quite wrong for them to be criticising it.”

She added she was “proud” of the “phenomenal” system that allowed Mir Johnson to be “held to account”.

The committee’s report into Mr Johnson stated the clerk was Dr Robin James, who has spent 32 years working in Westminster.