Politics

MPs on Commons privileges committee consider sanctions on Boris Johnson supporters

The Telegraph understands that the committee noticed Mr Johnson’s place as prime minister as an “aggravating factor” whereas deliberating on what sanction to use, having concluded that he knowingly misled Parliament over breaches of Covid guidelines in Downing Street.

A supply near the committee mentioned: “We are trying on the behaviour of probably the most senior minister within the nation. He has to set the usual for everyone.

“If the prime minister can say [untrue] issues to Parliament and never right the file what does that imply for everyone else? He’s the one who appoints ministers, he’s bought to set the requirements. We aren’t simply coping with any senior particular person.”

Members of the seven-strong committee are understood to be working on an addendum to the partygate report that would now be revealed as quickly as Tuesday. They are aggrieved by descriptions of the committee, which is chaired by Harriet Harman, Labour MP, as a “kangaroo court”.

‘It is McCarthyism’

One authorities supply likened the plan to sanction vital MPs to the purges of communists from public life led by US senator Joe McCarthy within the 1950. The supply mentioned: “This is an attempt to purge Johnson supporters from the party. It is McCarthyism.”

The authorities supply advised The Telegraph that the plan by some committee members is to “haul” in any Tory MPs who’ve been publicly vital of the committee’s method over Mr Johnson.

This might, for instance, see Jacob Rees-Mogg, a senior ally of Mr Johnson, referred to as in by the committee. There are already rumours he could possibly be the fourth Johnson-supporting MP to stop, along with his majority adversely affected in a boundary shake-up.

The supply mentioned: “This will be World War Three in the Conservative Party. They will haul them in – anyone who has brought the privileges committee into disrepute. This is like [George Orwell’s novel] 1984.”

The supply added: “We need to get a grip. This committee is run by a Labour MP.”

‘Reeks of prejudice’

Another supply prompt that the present committee can be unable to publish a report recommending sanctions towards those that had criticised it given their battle of curiosity as members of the panel. A backbencher might, nonetheless, try to hunt permission from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons speaker, to convey the difficulty to the ground of the House of Commons.

On Friday, Mr Johnson mentioned the draft report he had seen was “riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice”, including that the committee was “determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament”.

He added: “They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons.” 

Mr Johnson insisted: “I did not lie.”

He accused Ms Harman of “egregious bias”, saying he was “bewildered and appalled” at his therapy.

Responding to his assertion, a privileges committee spokesman mentioned: “The committee has adopted the procedures and the mandate of the House always and can proceed to take action.

“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his assertion. The committee will meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly.”

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