A report accusing former Prime Minister Boris Johnson of lying to lawmakers about lockdown-breaching parties held in his office has received overwhelming support in the House of Commons in Britain. This strong endorsement serves as a significant reprimand, resulting in Johnson being stripped of his lifelong access to Parliament. The findings were backed by 354 votes to 7.
During the parliamentary debate, Members of Parliament (MPs) emphasized the importance of demonstrating to the public that politicians are held to the same rules and are obligated to tell the truth. Theresa May, Johnson’s predecessor and a Conservative Party lawmaker, highlighted the need to show that there is not one set of rules for the public and another for politicians.
Penny Mordaunt, a Conservative MP and the House of Commons Leader, called on fellow MPs to vote according to their conscience and expressed her support for the report by the Commons’ Privileges Committee. Mordaunt stressed the significance of upholding institutional integrity and the resulting implications for accountability.
While a few of Johnson’s allies defended him during the debate, the majority of Conservative and opposition lawmakers expressed their support for the report. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, cautious about angering Johnson’s remaining supporters, did not participate in the debate, citing other commitments.
Johnson himself, who recently turned 59, was absent from the proceedings as he had resigned as prime minister in September 2022 and subsequently stepped down as a lawmaker on June 9 following the announcement of the Privileges Committee’s findings.
The debate on Monday revolved around the ongoing “partygate” scandal, which revolves around gatherings that occurred in Johnson’s Downing Street office and other government buildings in 2020 and 2021.
In the midst of these developments, Boris Johnson has taken on a new role as a columnist for the Daily Mail newspaper. This marks a return to his previous career in journalism, having written for various prominent British publications in the past, despite being dismissed from one for fabricating a quote.
Johnson’s column is expected to provide him with a lucrative platform to express his opinions on the government and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, appealing to the readership of this widely-read right-leaning newspaper.
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