North MP Jamie Stone slams Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s 'cowardice' over failure to attend vote on Boris Johnson
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
North MP Jamie Stone attacks Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “cowardice” over his failure to attend the vote on accepting or rejecting a massively damning verdict on Boris Johnson.
Parliament voted by an overwhelming majority of 354 to 7 to accept the Privileges Committee report that found the former PM had misled the house over the partygate scandal.
It meant that if Mr Johnson had not resigned as an MP he would have faced a 90-day suspension, likely triggering a hugely damaging by-election – the report also suggested that Mr Johnson be stripped of his parliamentary pass.
But Mr Sunak claims to have missed the vote due to long-standing engagements which Mr Stone says “shreds his pledge of integrity, professionalism and accountability”
“Last night displayed that the Prime Minister can't face up to his backbenches and former boss. The Privileges Committee has produced a comprehensive report which leaves no doubt that Mr Johnson lied to the House of Commons,” he said.
“For the current Prime Minister to ignore this and miss the vote shows cowardice and absolutely shreds his pledge of 'integrity, professionalism and accountability' he made outside Number 10.
“Monday was a good day for the proper working of our Parliamentary democracy. It was a bad day for all those who consider themselves above the rules.”
