Boris Johnson denied special access to Parliament as MPs back report which found he deliberately misled Commons
19 June 2023, 21:50 | Updated: 20 June 2023, 01:21
Boris Johnson has been denied special access to parliament after MPs backed report by the privileges committee which found he deliberately misled the House of Commons over lockdown parties at Downing Street.
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MP's voted overwhelmingly in favour of the report, with 354 backing it and only seven voting against it.
The move means Mr Johnson has been stripped of special access to parliament.
Those who opposed the Privileges Committee report were: Sir Bill Cash (Stone), Nick Fletcher (Don Valley), Adam Holloway (Gravesham), Karl McCartney (Lincoln), Joy Morrissey (Beaconsfield) and Heather Wheeler (South Derbyshire).
The division list released immediately after the vote contained six names in the noes rather than seven announced in the chamber.
Among those to have abstained were 225 Tory MPs and 18 Labour MPs.
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MPs vote overwhelmingly for report that found Boris Johnson lied about partygate
It came after MPs gathered in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon to debate the report, which found Mr Johnson knowingly misled parliament multiple times.
There was some uncertainty earlier in the day as to whether there would even be a vote if there were no objections from Mr Johnson's supporters.
However, a few people could be heard shouting "no" in the chamber, meaning a division was held.
One figure noticeably absent was current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. His spokesman previously said: "[Mr Sunak] thinks it is right to respect the process and enable members to express their views freely without looking to influence that decision.
"It is a free vote for MPs."
Read more: 'Colourful' video 'tells a story': More Partygate fines likely, Met chief Sir Mark Rowley suggests
Tom Swarbrick brands those who abstained from today's vote 'cowards'
The vote on the findings came after Scotland Yard said it was "considering" footage from a 2020 Christmas gathering at Conservative Party headquarters.
In the scathing 108-page report, a cross-party group of MPs recommended a 90-day suspension for Mr Johnson's "repeated contempts" of Parliament had he not pre-emptively resigned.
It also said he should be denied the parliamentary pass usually given to former MPs.
The former Conservative leader has dismissed the findings of the committee, which he likened to a "kangaroo court," as smacking of "bias" - attacks which led it to recommend a harsher sanction against him.
