Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been branded a ‘serial liar on an industrial scale’ by one Cheshire MP, with another revealing how two of her constituents said they would ‘never forget or forgive’ after losing both their parents to Covid in just 24 hours.
Both were speaking in the Commons as MPs voted overwhelmingly to accept the findings of a Privileges Committee report into the former PM’s conduct.
Just seven Conservatives voted against the report following a five-hour debate, with 354 across all parties voting in favour of the committee’s conclusion that Mr Johnson had deliberately misled the House over rule-breaking parties – dubbed ‘partygate’ – at the height of the Covid pandemic.
He had already quit as an MP last week after being given sight of the cross-party committee’s recommendation, which included a 90-day ban from the Commons and removal of his parliamentary pass.
Speaking during last night’s debate, Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale, said, “It was crystal clear in its findings that the former Prime Minister, Johnson, misled this Parliament.
“He misled the House, he misled MPs, he misled the people and he misled our great nations. To put it bluntly, he lied—a serial liar on almost an industrial scale.
“He lied to nurses, doctors, care workers, bus drivers, train drivers, ambulance workers, firefighters and everybody putting their life at risk in the pandemic to save lives. We remember that mantra – he repeated it enough every evening, did he not?”
Meanwhile, Chester Labour MP Samantha Dixon revealed how her constituents had struggled through the pandemic, losing both business and loved ones.
She told the house, “Last week, I met the landlord of a pub in the heart of my constituency.
“Like so many other businesses in Chester, he closed up shop as soon as the former Prime Minister instructed him to do so. He observed all the lockdown rules and guidance, and, like thousands of other small businesses, the price paid was a heavy one. Some are still feeling the impact to this day.”
She added, “Chester Zoo fought tooth and nail to keep going and caring for the thousands of animals and plants, with the mission of preventing extinction, with no money coming in. Workers at the zoo thought No. 10 was working hard to help them; they are now disappointed and saddened at what the Committee has discovered was actually going on.
“Finally, two of my constituents, whom I met at the service of remembrance at the Covid memorial wall, just across Westminster bridge, stood in tears remembering their late parents, who died within 24 hours of each other during the pandemic. They pointed at the Houses of Parliament and said, ‘We will never forget and we will never forgive’.”
Image: Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) and Sam Dixon (City of Chester) during the debate
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