Category: Parliament

  • Boris Johnson – 2023 Letter to Committee of Privileges Stating “I have the utmost respect for the integrity of the Committee”

    Boris Johnson – 2023 Letter to Committee of Privileges Stating “I have the utmost respect for the integrity of the Committee”

    The text of the letter sent by Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister, to the Committee of Privileges on 30 March 2023.

    I am writing to thank you and the members of the Committee of Privileges for providing me with the opportunity to give evidence ton Wednesday 22 March.

    At the end of the session, Sir Charles and Mr Costa asked me a series of questions regarding comments that have been made about the Committee’s work being a “witch hunt” or a “kangaroo court”. Having reviewed the transcript, I am concerned that, at the end of what had been a long hearing, I was not emphatic enough in the answers that I provided. As I hope I made clear in those answers, I have the utmost respect for the integrity of the Committee and all its Members and the work that it is doing.

    It is of course right to acknowledge that I, along with my lawyers, have raised concerns about the fairness of the process that has been adopted. I think it is impossible for a Committee, however hard its Members try, to perform the roles of investigator, prosecutor and judge/jury. That is of course a separate matter, and participants in any process are entitled to raise such objections. I trust and hope that these objections will be considered and addressed in full on their merits. But that in no sense undermines my trust and belief that the Committee will address the evidence with integrity and with impartiality.

    Yours faithfully,

     

    Boris Johnson.

  • Alastair Campbell – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Alastair Campbell – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Alastair Campbell, the former Director of Communications at Downing Street, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    Given Privileges Committee report (and well done to those Tories especially who refused to be cowed by the Trumpian nonsense) Sunak now needs to step up and make clear the following … 1. none of the resignation honours will go forward. (Those who have taken them in the past should return them, including Lords appointees) 2. Johnson will not be entitled to the usual ex-PM allowance. 3. He will not be part of the Remembrance Day ceremony or other events where ex PMs are expected to attend. 4. He will be asked to repay legal costs.

    For politics to recover from the damage Johnson has done to it, it must be made crystal clear that the kind of conduct in which he indulged leads not merely to loss of power but opprobrium. He deserves nothing less. And Sunak must lead if standards are to be raised.

  • Andy McDonald – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Andy McDonald – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Andy McDonald, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    There we have it at last – the judgment that Johnson deliberately lied to the British public. But let’s remember the Tories knew who & what he was. but were prepared to ignore all that if he could cheat his way to winning power. They’ll feel the wrath of the people for that.

  • Bell Ribeiro-Addy – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Bell Ribeiro-Addy – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the Labour MP for Streatham, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    Boris Johnson is a liar.

  • Karl Turner – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Karl Turner – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Karl Turner, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    We now know that he was telling lies. He knew he was lying but ploughed on. Rishi Sunak and others were too weak to stop him spewing the lies out. That’s the reality of this and the PM needs to take some responsibility now.

  • Dawn Butler – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Dawn Butler – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Dawn Butler, the Labour MP for Brent Central, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    Here’s evidence Johnson was lying, he knew he was lying, we knew he was lying, & he knew we knew he was lying. He manipulated our democratic systems to protect & amplify lies he gaslit the whole nation. #privilegesCommittee I feel vindicated but our system needs to change.

  • Nigel Farage – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Nigel Farage – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Nigel Farage, the former Leader of the Brexit Party, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    The report is brutal. A 90 day ban from the Commons and a removal of his pass looks vindictive. But, I said at the time that he was misleading the House. He gave his opponents far too much ammunition.

  • Brendan Clarke-Smith – 2023 Comments Attacking Parliamentary Procedures

    Brendan Clarke-Smith – 2023 Comments Attacking Parliamentary Procedures

    The comments made by Brendan Clarke-Smith, the Conservative MP for Bassetlaw, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    I am appalled at what I have read and the spiteful, vindictive and overreaching conclusions of the report. I won’t be supporting the recommendations and will be speaking against them both publicly and in the House on Monday. I’m backing fairness and justice – not kangaroo courts.

  • Chris Bryant – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Chris Bryant – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the Rhondda, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    90 day suspension for deliberately misleading the House, deliberately misleading the committee, breach of confidence, impugning the committee, and thereby undermining the democratic process of the house and being complicit in the campaign of abuse, and attempted intimidation of the committee.

    In view of the fact that Mr Johnson is no longer a member, we recommend that he should not be granted a former member’s pass.

  • Pete Wishart – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    Pete Wishart – 2023 Comments After Commons Report Published that Boris Johnson Knowingly Lied to Parliament

    The comments made by Pete Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, on Twitter on 15 June 2023.

    Now everyone can see the full scale and horror of Johnson’s repeated lies and contempt for democracy. The question now is why on earth did the Conservative Party put up with this and allow him to dominate our public life for so long?