Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London March 21, 2023 PETER NICHOLLS / Portal
British MPs banned Boris Johnson from Parliament, confirming on Monday evening June 19 a damning report which concluded that the former Prime Minister lied to Parliament over the ‘Partygate’ affair, thereby jeopardizing his political future .
On the day of Boris Johnson’s 59th birthday, the elected members of the House of Commons approved the conclusions of the parliamentary committee on the privileges and sanctions it recommended against the former head of government.
The report was broadly adopted by the House of Commons, which comprises 650 elected officials, by 354 votes in favor and just 7 against. But many abstained, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Boris Johnson, who was forced to resign from Downing Street last summer after a series of scandals, will be stripped of his access pass to Parliament’s premises, which former Prime Ministers normally possess.
The 106-page report released on Thursday also recommended his 90-day suspension from Parliament – which would have prompted snap elections in his constituency – but the former leader resigned his mandate as MP shortly after receiving the document’s conclusions . .
This MEP poll has little tangible impact, but it represents a humiliation for the charismatic and controversial Conservative. He called the report a “witch hunt” and called it a “political assassination” when it was published.
Also read: Article reserved for our subscribers Boris Johnson resigns from UK Parliament, threatening ‘a witch hunt’
In that document, which reignited divisions within the majority, the commission concluded that he had “misled the House of Representatives on a matter of the utmost importance to the House of Representatives and the public” on “several occasions” .
“Restore Trust”
According to the British press, the former prime minister had called on his supporters to abstain from voting rather than oppose the report. Conservative and Opposition MPs took turns in the House of Commons for more than five hours to offer their opinions on the report, but also on the former leader and Partygate, parties in the open lockdown during Covid-19.
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The Minister for Relations with Parliament, Penny Mordaunt, said at the start of the session that she would be voting in favor of the report, but without giving voting instructions: “All Members must make up their own minds and others should leave them alone.” respect”.
Also Read: Article reserved for our subscribers Boris Johnson’s lies are finally exposed in an official report
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose rivalry with Boris Johnson is more apparent than ever, did not appear for the debate and said he did not want to “interfere” with the vote, but this has earned him accusations of “weakness” in the work.
Former Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May called on all MPs to vote in favor of the report’s findings to “help restore confidence in our parliamentary democracy”.
Cover of Parliamentary Committee report on House of Commons privileges, June 15, 2023. AP
Boris Johnson “evaded the obligation to account for his lies (…). There were no excuses, no taking an ounce of responsibility,” lamented Labor Angela Eagle. For one of Boris Johnson’s closest allies, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the commission “deliberately sought to adopt the most unfavorable interpretation of (…) Mr Johnson’s activities”.
Conservative government under pressure
The ex-boss, who will soon be a father for the eighth time, continues to enjoy great popularity in his party when it comes to implementing Brexit. In 2019 he came to power after a major election victory.
But according to a poll, 69% of Brits and 51% of Tory voters believe he lied to Parliament. Boris Johnson, an ex-journalist, has already found a new job: he has been hired as a columnist for the conservative tabloid Chron.
Also read: Boris Johnson becomes Chron columnist a week after leaving Parliament.
On Sunday, a new video published by The Mirror newspaper showing Conservative Party members dancing while flouting social distancing rules at a party during the pandemic sparked fierce opposition.
This umpteenth ‘Partygate’ adventure takes place at a time when the Conservative government is under more pressure than ever to fight inflation and the rise in interest rates that is sending mortgages soaring.
The party, which has been in power for 13 years and is at its lowest point in the polls against the Labor opposition, will face four poorly placed by-elections in the coming months.