Nadine Dorries and Jacob Rees-Mogg among 10 named in privileges committee special report on partygate probe
Allies of Boris Johnson including Nadine Dorries and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg have been heavily criticised for putting “improper pressure” on the Commons investigation into whether he lied to MPs over partygate.
Seven MPs and three peers were named in the privileges committee’s special report on “sustained interference” into the probe.
The group have been accused of using “unprecedented and co-ordinated pressure”, which “had significant personal impact on individual members and raised significant security concerns”.
Other senior Tories named include former cabinet minister Priti Patel and Lord Zac Goldsmith, who is a serving minister.
MPs Mark Jenkinson, Michael Fabricant, Brendan Clarke-Smith and Andrea Jenkyns are all also cited in the report for criticising the investigation with tweets and media interviews attacking the committee.
The report said they sought to influence the outcome of the inquiry, impede its work by inducing members to resign and “discredit the committee as a whole”.
It singled out Mr Rees-Mogg and Ms Dorries in particular for using their shows on GB News and TalkTV respectively to mount “the most vociferous attacks”.
It also condemned the “selective pressure brought to bear” on Tory members of the committee – pointing to an email campaign instigated by the Conservative Post website which urged them to step down.
The report said over 600 emails were sent to Conservative members of the committee within days, including ones “appearing to come from Lord Cruddas and Lord Greenhalgh” – both of whom were given peerages by Mr Johnson.
Former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries
The group could be suspended from parliament if MPs approve sanctions.
The committee said the House of Commons should consider whether their actions could be considered a contempt of Parliament and what further steps to take.
The report is provisionally scheduled to be considered by MPs on July 10.
Rishi Sunak’s spokesman declined to say if he would vote in the Commons to back the report and also insisted he had confidence in Lord Goldsmith, amid growing pressure to sack him.
Speaking during a visit to Selby, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the prime minister is “too weak to deal with his MPs” and called the partygate report “further evidence of a divided party that is incapable of governing”.
He said: “You’ve got yet another story about misbehaviour by Tory MPs, and at the same time we’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
“So, at the moment you want the government to step it up, it’s sitting it out, arguing about the behaviour of their own MPs, and this is one of the main causes of the fact that we’re in this economic chaos now, and it’s families that are paying the price.”
‘I shall wear it as a badge of honour’: Johnson allies remain defiant
Mr Johnson’s allies remained defiant following the report’s publication, with one telling Sky News: “I shall wear it as a badge of honour.”
And in a tweet Michael Fabricant hit back: “Respect for the committee needs to be earned.”
Mr Rees-Mogg ignored questions about the report, which listed some of his statements as one of the “most disturbing examples” in a “campaign of interference in the work” of the committee.
When approached by reporters he said he was on his way to Church and “I would encourage you all to do the same”.
He added: “Then I shall be at the [cricket] test match, which I am looking forward to. Thank you so much.”
Meanwhile, Mr Jenkinson said: “On publication of the previous report I said it had overreached. Prior to publication I had not referred to the committee.
“Yet in another perfect example of gross overreach, the committee use a tweet that did not refer to them and was about the media witch hunt of Boris Johnson.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Former prime minister Mr Johnson sensationally quit his Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat after the privileges committee found he had deliberately misled the House with his partygate denials.
In the run-up to the report, allies of the ex-PM had labelled the committee a “kangaroo court”, criticised the members, and accused them of bias – in particular, the Labour chair of the committee Harriet Harman.
In its findings, the committee wrote that they were “concerned” that should those “behaviours go unchallenged”, such an inquiry would be “impossible” in future.
They said they would be preparing a “special report” on those behaviours, writing: “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.”
UK drivers are “confused” by the country’s electric car transition, ministers are being warned.
Although most drivers are not hostile towards electric vehicles (EVs), many are confused about what changes are coming and when, according to new research from the AA.
In a survey of more than 14,000 AA members, 7% thought the government was banning the sale of used petrol and diesel cars.
Around a third thought manual EVs exist, despite them all being automatic.
More than one in five said they would never buy an EV.
The government’s plan for increasing the number of electric vehicles being driven in the UK focuses heavily on increasing the supply of the vehicles.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What you can do to reach net zero
In 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK had to be zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.
Each year, those percentages will rise, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans in 2030.
Manufacturers will face fines of £15,000 per vehicle if electric vehicle sales fall short of 28% of total production this year.
Read more from Sky News:
Survivor reflects on five years on from COVID
At least 12 people injured in shooting in Toronto
By 2035, all new cars and vans will be required to be fully zero emission, according to the Department for Transport.
Second-hand diesel and petrol cars will still be allowed to be sold after this date, and their fuel will still be available.
There are more EVs – but will people buy them?
In February, 25% of new cars were powered purely by battery and in January, they made up 21% of all new cars registered in the UK.
But despite the growth of electric sales, manufacturers continue to warn that the market will not support the growth required to hit government EV targets, and called for consumer incentives and the extension of tax breaks.
The AA suggested the government’s plan focuses on “supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs”.
It called on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.
“Our message to government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone,” said Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive.
Which? head of consumer rights Sue Davis said: “When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.
“The government needs to provide the right information on electric vehicles and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We’re investing over £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.
“This includes installing a public charge point every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100% first-year allowances for zero-emission cars for another year.
“Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.
“We’re seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.”
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports11 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway