Britain's House of Commons on Monday resoundingly endorsed a report that found Boris Johnson lied to lawmakers about lockdown-flouting parties in his office, a humiliating censure that strips the former prime minister of his lifetime access to Parliament. Lawmakers backed the finding that Johnson was in contempt of Parliament by 354 votes to 7, after a debate in which many argued it was crucial to show voters that politicians are obliged to follow the rules and tell the truth. It was expected that the vote would pass, because a number of Johnson's fellow Conservatives were not present and abstained. Johnson's most vocal supporters, who defended him throughout and heavily criticized the committee, were reportedly encouraged by Johnson not to vote so as not to lend the decision credibility. "It is important to show the public that there is not one rule for them and another for us," said Conservative Party lawmaker Theresa May, Johnson's predecessor as prime minister. Opening the five-hour debate, House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt urged lawmakers to "do what they think is right." Mordaunt, a Conservative like Johnson, said she would vote to endorse the report by the Commons' Privileges Committee. "This matters because the integrity of our institutions matters. The respect and trust afforded to them matter," she said. "This has real-world consequences for the accountability of members of Parliament to each other and the members of the public they represent." Johnson has already stood down as an MP, so will neither serve the ban nor face the by-election that would have been triggered as a result of the ban. Otherwise, he would have been sanctioned with a lengthy ban from parliament and denied a pass to access the building, a right afforded to former members of parliament. Sunak and the rest of the Conservative Party will now hope the issue of Johnson and the scandals that brought down his government can be left in the past as they move forward. However, Sunak and his party currently trail in the polls. Sunak came to power after Johnson's immediate successor, Liz Truss, made controversial spending and budget cuts that caused an economic meltdown. Sunak's pitch was that he would bring calm to what had been a chaotic political scene. He has to some extent achieved that, but his poll numbers have only marginally improved, which is making his own MPs nervous. — Agencies
