MPs to vote on report saying Boris Johnson misled British Parliament

British MPs will on Monday vote on an inquiry report by a UK Parliamentary committee that revealed former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has deliberately misled the House of Commons over breaches during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The report published by the Privileges Committee on June 15 found that Johnson "committed a serious contempt" of Parliament when, after the so-called "Partygate" scandal which revealed that illegal gatherings took place at Downing Street, the former Prime Minister told the House that lockdown rules were followed at all times.

The report recommended that the former Prime Minister should have been suspended from the Commons for 90 days if he had remained an MP.

It will be a free vote for Conservatibe MPs, meaning party managers -- known as whips -- will not instruct them what to do at the vote, which is expected to take place on Monday evening after a debate, reports the BBC.

It is likely that some Conservative MPs could abstain or not turn up to take part.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove, who also served in Johnson's cabinet, told the BBC on Sunday that he intended to abstain -- becoming the only member of the incumbent Rishi Sunak-led government to reveal his decision over Monday's vote.

Gove said that while were areas where Johnson's conduct had fallen short of expectations, he however disagreed with the report's recommendation for a 90-day suspension.

It also remains unclear if Sunak will vote on the report's findings.

The inquiry report came days after Johnson resigned as a Conservative MP on June 9, claiming that he was "forced out of Parliament" over the Partygate scandal.

In his resignation statement, Johnson described the Privileges Committee as a "kangaroo court" whose purpose "from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts".

He had previously admitted of misleading Parliament when he gave evidence to the Committee in a combative hearing in March - but denied doing it on purpose.

He said that social distancing had not been "perfect" at gatherings in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns but insisted the guidelines, as he understood them, were followed at all times.

--IANS

ksk/