Former Oxfordshire MP Boris Johnson committed “repeated contempts” of Parliament with his partygate denials, a cross-party investigation has found.
Mr Johnson represented the Henley constituency from June 2001 to June 2008.
There had been recent speculation that he was looking to re-stand in the south Oxfordshire seat at the next general election.
READ MORE: Frustrated motorists trapped in cark park for an hour
He also recently purchased a house in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell near Wallingford.
The Privileges Committee’s recommended a 90-day suspension from parliament for the acts, which include deliberately misleading MPs.
If Mr Johnson had not stood down on Friday this suspension would have paved the way for a by-election for the former prime minister.
At the time of his resignation, Mr Johnson hit out at what he called a “deranged conclusion”, accusing the Tory-majority group of MPs he has repeatedly sought to disparage of lying.
He called the committee led by Labour veteran Harriet Harman “beneath contempt” and claimed its 14-month investigation had delivered “what is intended to be the final knife-thrust in a protracted political assassination”.
The MPs recommended that Mr Johnson should not be given a former member’s pass, which would grant him access to the parliamentary estate.
Before his resignation on Friday, they said they had professionally agreed a suspension long enough to potentially trigger a by-election.
READ MORE: Driver caught doing 79mph in 50mph limit on Ring Road
But they said he committed further contempts for offences including undermining the democratic processes of the Commons and being “complicit in the campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation of the committee”.
Mr Johnson quit the Commons last week after reading the report’s findings, meaning he will escape the immediate prospect of a sanction.
The recommended suspension far exceeded the 10-day threshold which, if approved by the wider House of Commons, could have led to a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel