Furious Tories round on Boris Johnson and say he must 'shut up and go away'
Furious Tories rounded on Boris Johnson yesterday, telling him to shut up and go away and accusing him of near-mutiny.
The shamed ex-Prime Minister skulked out of Parliament before a report into whether he lied to the Commons was published.
Johnson quit his seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip after being allowed a preview of the Partygate report.
And former Education Minister Tim Loughton told Times Radio: “My hope for the future of Boris Johnson is that he will shut up and go away and let us get on with the business of running the country.
“His sad demise was brought about entirely at his own doing, frankly – and he’s now decided unilaterally to leave Parliament before the report on him has actually been published.
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“Boris, thank you very much for your service – now just keep quiet and let the grown ups in government who want to do government… get on with that job.”
Ex-Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood said Mr Johnson’s actions were “akin to mutiny”.
He added: “It is a grave moment for our party. Johnson has departed in his own style, kicking and screaming with so much drama, inflicting damage as he goes.
“Johnson quit not only kicking the milk bottles on the way out but rallying other MPs to follow in order to inflict maximum damage to the party he claims to support.”
Grant Shapps (PA)
Tim Loughton (PA Wire/PA Images)The former Prime Minister’s close ally Grant Shapps was dispatched to TV studios yesterday to quell the unfolding Tory civil war.
Mr Shapps claimed: “I don’t think whether you’re in the Conservative Party or elsewhere, anyone misses the drama of those days, the world has moved on.”
The Commons Privileges Committee is expected to meet today to discuss its report on Johnson.
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MPs have been investigating whether he misled Parliament when he told the Commons no lockdown-busting parties – first revealed by the Mirror – took place in Downing Street.
He had an email from the committee while on a plane to Cairo on Thursday.
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It is understood committee chairwoman Harriet Harman told Mr Johnson the panel’s findings would lead to a Commons suspension of at least 10 days, long enough to force a recall petition – and pave the way for a by-election in his constituency.
Boris Johnson going for a run near his home on Sunday (Jeremy Selwyn)Mr Johnson was reported to be “grim faced” as he sat in business class on the flight to the Egyptian capital, and decided to resign at some point during the four-hour journey.
Mr Johnson blames current PM Rishi Sunak for removing his allies from Johnson’s resignation honours list, revealed on Friday.
No10 denies Mr Sunak was involved. Nadine Dorries was omitted, as was Alok Sharma – though he is already a Sir.
Ms Dorries quit as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire hours before the ex-PM’s own Commons resignation.
Another Johnson ally, Nigel Adams, resigned his seat of Selby and Ainsty, North Yorks on Saturday, meaning Mr Sunak now faces three by-elections.
At least one could be held before the Commons summer recess.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, who visits Mid Bedfordshire later today, said: “The British public have had enough of the endless Conservative party sleaze and scandal.
"Next month, people across Bedfordshire have the chance to finally get rid of this chaotic sham of a government.”
Former No10 communications chief Guto Harri, made a CBE by Johnson’s list, said his old boss had by resigning “taken charge of the situation” and avoided being “dragged kicking and screaming out of Parliament”.
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