Mel Stride urges Johnson and cabinet to ‘row together’ and end hostilities after vote
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride expressed hope that Boris Johnson and the Cabinet can now “row together” and end the hostilities.
Mr Stride told Times Radio he backed the Privileges Committee’s findings that the former prime minister lied to MPs but said he felt “quite uneasy” with the 90-day suspension recommended so decided to abstain.
This comes after Rishi Sunak was accused of a “cowardly cop-out” after ducking a vote in which MPs overwhelmingly endorsed a report that found Boris Johnson lied to Parliament with his partygate denials.
The Prime Minister will chair Cabinet on Tuesday, with some of those around the table having backed the sanctions against his predecessor.
Sunak, along with the majority of Tory MPs, opted to stay away from the vote on the Privileges Committee’s findings on Mr Johnson’s conduct.
He will be denied special access to Parliament usually granted to former MPs after the sanction recommended by the Tory-majority panel was endorsed by 354 votes.
Speaking on Times Radio, Stride said: “I think the committee conducted itself with absolute integrity, I totally accept its findings in terms of wrongdoing,” he said, praising its “diligence”.
But he said that Rishi Sunak was right not to vote either way, adding that the Prime Minister had been “extremely busy” on Monday.
“I think he took the position before the vote, which I think is the right decision, which is to not put his oar into the water on this, for fear of being seen perhaps to pressurise people one way or another,” Mr Stride said.
“I do know he was extremely busy yesterday, I know he saw the Swedish prime minister and other things, long-standing engagements and so on.”
He acknowledged it had been a “difficult period”, adding: “My hope is that Boris Johnson, the current Cabinet – they are very united incidentally behind those priorities – that we can all row together now and focus on what people really care about.”
The ex-premier had urged his allies not to oppose the report, arguing that the sanctions had no practical effect, although critics said it was a move designed to avoid revealing the low level of remaining support for him in the Conservative parliamentary party.
Mr Sunak claimed his reticence about publicising his view on the report’s conclusions was because he “wouldn’t want to influence anyone in advance” of the free vote.
He said he respected the committee, but that it was “a matter for Parliament and members as individuals” rather than Government.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said he had afternoon meetings on Monday, including hosting his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, before attending a dinner in the evening.
But critics rounded on his absence, with Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper saying: “Tonight Rishi Sunak committed a cowardly cop-out. His failure to vote says all you need to know about this Prime Minister’s lack of leadership.
“Sunak promised integrity yet when push came to shove, he was too weak to even turn up.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Rishi Sunak is too weak to lead a party too divided to govern and working people are paying the price.
“Rather than distance himself from his disgraced predecessor, Rishi Sunak has repeatedly demonstrated he’s just more of the same Conservative failure we’ve had to put up with for 13 years now. It’s time for a change.”
Press Association