Sunak seeks to draw a line under Johnson partygate row

Rishi Sunak respects the decision by MPs to back a report which concluded Boris Johnson lied over lockdown-busting parties in No 10.

The saga over Boris Johnson’s partygate lies to MPs is now over, Rishi Sunak believes (Andrew Boyers/PA) (PA Wire)

Rishi Sunak believes the saga over Boris Johnson’s partygate lies to MPs is now over as a Cabinet minister called for an end to the Tory civil war.

The Prime Minister, who did not vote on Monday as MPs backed the findings of the report into Mr Johnson’s conduct, “respects” the decision of the House, Downing Street said.

Mr Sunak blamed a diary clash for his absence from the Commons and has declined to give his opinion on the scathing report by the Privileges Committee on his predecessor.

Asked whether Mr Sunak believes his predecessor did mislead the House, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “He respects the decision the House has come to, this follows extensive work by the committee. But beyond that I don’t have anything more to add.”

Asked whether the Prime Minister thought the matter was now closed, the spokesman said: “Yes.”

The Government is seeking to draw a line under the row, which has seen Johnson loyalists warning that Tory MPs could face deselection by their local Conservative associations if they backed the finding that the former prime minister deliberately misled the Commons.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said on Monday that the “caravan has got to move on” from the former prime minister after the Commons overwhelmingly backed the sanctions against him.

But Mr Sunak was accused of a “cowardly cop-out” by the Liberal Democrats for avoiding the vote which saw MPs overwhelmingly endorse the committee’s report.

I don’t think it’s odd that under those circumstances he wouldn’t want to weigh in and start suggesting a particular course of action

Mel Stride on Rishi Sunak

The Prime Minister was accused by Labour of being “too weak” to stand up to his predecessor, who still commands a fan base among Conservative voters.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “It’s astonishing that a Prime Minister who promised integrity, professionalism and accountability still doesn’t have an opinion about his disgraced predecessor being found guilty of repeatedly lying to Parliament.

“Instead of turning the page on Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak is showing just how weak and indecisive he is. It’s a total failure of leadership.”

Mr Stride said Mr Sunak had been busy with “long-standing events” including hosting his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, on Monday and did not want to exert pressure on colleagues.

The Work and Pensions Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I don’t think it is odd that he should be in a position before a vote which is a free vote in which he has made clear it is for the House to decide on these matters.

“I don’t think it’s odd that under those circumstances he wouldn’t want to weigh in and start suggesting a particular course of action.”

Mr Stride told Times Radio that he totally accepts the committee’s findings and defended it from attacks, saying its members acted with “absolute integrity” and “diligence”.

But he said that he abstained because the 90-day suspension that would have been recommended if Mr Johnson had not resigned in anticipation of the findings made him feel “quite uneasy”.

“My hope is that Boris Johnson, the current Cabinet… that we can all row together now and focus on what people really care about,” he added.

Only seven MPs voted against the report, with even some of Mr Johnson’s staunchest allies abstaining.

But the vote has deepened the tensions with the Tory party, which have seen the former prime minister openly criticising Mr Sunak.

Much of the Government payroll did not take part in the vote but some Cabinet ministers including Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk chose to support it.

Joy Morrissey, who was appointed assistant whip by Mr Johnson and continues to hold the role under Mr Sunak, said she joined those voting against the “deeply flawed” report.

“This report with all its flaws risks a chilling impact on the rights of parliamentarians and I felt I needed to make a stand against that. It sets precedents that will last long and reach deep,” she wrote on her website.

Mr Johnson will be denied the pass to Parliament usually granted to former MPs after the sanction recommended by the cross-party committee was endorsed by 354 votes.

Mr Stride said that Mr Johnson is in a “difficult situation”, adding to Today: “I think really the caravan has got to move on from Boris Johnson, with respect.”

But a row continues over Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list after a video emerged of a mid-lockdown party at Conservative Campaign Headquarters attended by Tory politician Shaun Bailey.

Senior Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood said the former London mayoral candidate should reconsider the peerage handed to him by the former prime minister.

The former minister told Today that there are “big questions” surrounding it, adding: “Absolutely he needs to consider that, if I’m frank.”

Mr Stride suggested there could be a way to remove Mr Bailey’s peerage if the Metropolitan Police come to a damning conclusion about the event in December 2020.

“There are then mechanisms involving the Forfeiture Committee that can lead to changes to honours that have been given in the past. But I don’t want to start pre-judging that process,” he told Today.

However, the Forfeiture Committee deals with honours such as knighthoods rather than peerages, which can only be removed by an act of Parliament.