Weak Rishi Sunak will skip a Commons debate on whether Boris Johnson’s allies should be punished for attacks on an inquiry into his Partygate lies.
MPs will this afternoon debate the findings of a special report by the Privileges Committee that found seven MPs had undertaken a “sustained” and “co-ordinated campaign” to undermine its investigation. It found that the former prime minister’s pals, including Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Dame Priti Patel and Nadine Dorries had wanted to stop the inquiry “coming to a conclusion which the critics did not want”.
But the Prime Minister's spokesman has confirmed Mr Sunak will not be attending due to having meetings scheduled in his diary. The PM was already accused this morning of being "too weak to take a stand" when it came to key votes on Boris Johnson's Partygate lies and Conservative sleaze. The Lib Dems earlier demanded: "This time must be different if he wants to show he has any shred of integrity left.”
The party will try to force a vote on whether the conduct warrants sanctions, which could include the MPs being suspended from the Commons. It called on Mr Sunak to confirm he will support potential sanctions against Tory MPs for undermining the Privileges Committee's investigation which found disgraced ex-PM Mr Johnson misled MPs about lockdown-busting parties in No10.
If passed, the Lib Dems' amendment would refer the seven MPs back to the committee, to decide whether their conduct amounted to contempt of Parliament. If the committee ruled that a contempt was committed, the MPs could then face potential punishments including a suspension.
The other MPs named are Sir Michael Fabricant, Brendan Clarke-Smith, Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Mark Jenkinson. Lord Zac Goldsmith, who is not an MP but was an environment minister, was also named and shamed. The Tory peer resigned a day after he was mentioned in the report last month, launching a brutal attack on Mr Sunak for being "simply uninterested" in environmental issues.
Last week Mr Sunak was blasted for dodging a key vote into the Privileges Committee's damning probe into Mr Johnson's lies about Partygate - which he ditched to attend a charity dinner. Sir Chris Bryant tore into the PM as he noted Mr Sunak also skipped a 2020 vote to rip up standards rules to block the suspension of Owen Paterson, who was found to have used his position to lobby for two private companies.
Sir Chris said: "On two rule-breaking moments you chose not to be in Parliament but yesterday you opined on the rules of cricket. Take us through that." The PM replied: "I chose to fulfil my obligation to an incredible charity."
Mr Sunak admitted that he hadn't read the full report into the 7 Tory MPs accused of undermining the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament about Partygate. "I've read the findings, I haven't read it from cover to cover," Mr Sunak said. Sir Chris responded: "It's about three pages long."
He said Mr Sunak took a view on one of the MPs - Lord Goldsmith - who the PM accused of quitting rather than apologising for trying to undermine the Mr Johnson probe. Mr Sunak said an apology was requested from him and the MPs mentioned was because Lord Goldsmith was a minister.
Lib Dem Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain said: “Nadine Dorries, Jacob-Rees Mogg and these other Conservative MPs launched a Trumpian attack against our Parliament and its independent report into Boris Johnson’s partygate lies.
“Rishi Sunak must confirm he will back referring these Conservative MPs for potential sanctions. There must be consequences for their shameful actions. Every time there is a vote on Boris Johnson’s lies and Conservative sleaze, Sunak is too weak to take a stand. This time must be different if he wants to show he has any shred of integrity left.”
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