ORMER Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called for Harwich and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin to resign from Parliament’s Privileges Committee.
The call comes after Mr Johnson accused the veteran Tory MP of attending a drinks party while coronavirus restrictions were in force in December 2020.
The privileges committee was today expected to publish a report finding the former prime minister had misled Parliament with his Partygate denials.
But on the Guido Fawkes website today Mr Johnson released a statement saying: “Bernard Jenkin has just voted to expel me from Parliament for allegedly trying to conceal from Parliament my knowledge of illicit events.
“In reality, of course, I did no such thing.
“Now it turns out he may have for the whole time known that he himself attended an event and concealed this from the privileges committee and the whole House for the last year.
“He has no choice but to explain his actions to his own committee, for his colleagues to investigate and then to resign.”
Sir Bernard tonight said he would not comment on the allegations.
Mr Johnson hit out at Sir Bernard after the Essex MP said Mr Johnson had “impugned the integrity” of the House of Commons with his bombshell resignation speech.
The former Prime Minister has been under investigation about whether he knowingly misled the Commons over Partygate.
Mr Johnson announced his resignation from his constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, in west London, on Friday night - one of three Tory MPs to quit.
He accused the privileges committee which has been probing him of “egregious bias”, adding that he is “bewildered and appalled”.
He said: “Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.”
Mr Johnson’s statement has been condemned by Sir Bernard, who sits on the committee and who has questioned Mr Johnson.
Sir Bernard said: “No member of the privileges committee will comment on the report which we have yet to publish.
“Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement.”
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