The Privileges Committee will publish a special report on the “sustained” campaign against it.
Allies of Boris Johnson stepped up attacks on the “kangaroo court” Privileges Committee as the panel of MPs prepares to publish a special report on the intimidation campaign against it.
In its strongly-worded report on the former prime minister, the committee said there had been a “seemingly co-ordinated” attempt to undermine the credibility of the seven MPs on the panel.
They said that Mr Johnson “at no point denounced this campaign” and later used the terms “witch hunt” and “kangaroo court” in his resignation statement.
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 pic.twitter.com/o6CMyS7RTs
— Brendan Clarke-Smith MP (@Bren4Bassetlaw) June 15, 2023
“From the outset of this inquiry there has been a sustained attempt, seemingly co-ordinated, to undermine the committee’s credibility and, more worryingly, that of those members serving on it.
“The committee is concerned that if these behaviours go unchallenged, it will be impossible for the House to establish such a committee to conduct sensitive and important inquiries in the future.
“The House must have a committee to defend its rights and privileges, and it must protect members of the House doing that duty from formal or informal attack or undermining designed to deter and prevent them from doing that duty. We will be making a special report separately to the House dealing with these matters.”
We also need to keep a close eye on the careers of the Conservative MPs who sat on that committee. Do they suddenly find themselves on chicken runs into safe seats? Gongs? Were promises made? We need to know if they were.Justice has to be seen to be done at all levels of this…
— Rt Hon Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) June 15, 2023
Following the publication of its report on Mr Johnson, which recommended that he should have faced a 90-day suspension if he had not quit Parliament, the former prime minister and his allies stepped up their attacks.
Mr Johnson said the committee had reached a “deranged conclusion” adding: “This decision means that no MP is free from vendetta, or expulsion on trumped up charges by a tiny minority who want to see him or her gone from the Commons.”
Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: “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.”
I am amazed at the harshness of today’s report by the Privileges Committee. I believed Boris before and I believe him today. This punishment is absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness, and I will vote against this report on Monday.
— Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) June 15, 2023
Former Cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke – who was knighted in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours – said: “This punishment is absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness.”
Nadine Dorries, one of Mr Johnson’s most vocal supporters, urged voters to turf out Tory MPs who back the committee’s report: “Any Conservative MP who would vote for this report is fundamentally not a Conservative and will be held to account by members and the public. Deselections may follow.
“It’s serious. MPs will now have to show this committee what real justice looks like and how it’s done.”
She also questioned whether the four Tories on the committee “suddenly find themselves on chicken runs into safe seats” or are awarded “gongs”.
“Were promises made? We need to know if they were. Justice has to be seen to be done at all levels of this process.”
Downing Street said the MPs were part of a “properly constituted committee carrying out work at the behest of Parliament”.
