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MPs have started declaring their support for Sunak, Johnson and Mordaunt
After spending Liz Truss’s premiership keeping an extremely low profile, Rishi Sunak is firmly back on the scene this morning, with several MPs declaring their support in a coordinated social media push last night.
Sunak’s deepest appeal to MPs is his promise of absolution: if you think the voters’ distaste for Boris Johnson is only outdone by their disgust at everything that has happened since, Sunak allows you to rewind the clock, but not too far.
Among the MPs who voiced their support for Sunak on Twitter were Simon Hart, Helen Whately, Huw Merriman and Nick Gibb.
Hart said that this was “no time for experiments; no time for frivolity…this means choosing someone serious, tested, competent and kind.”
After the last few weeks the very least we can do for the country is get the right Prime Minister this time. No time for experiments; no time for frivolity; no time to line up a job offer. This means choosing someone serious, tested, competent & kind.
For me that’s Rishi Sunak.— Simon Hart (@Simonhartmp) October 20, 2022
While Sunak beats the other plausible candidates, apart from Johnson, in recent membership polls, it is easy to see the former PM’s hardcore in the rank and file coalescing around Penny Mordaunt instead. So Sunak would certainly rather have the race sewn up early. But given the deep divides in the party over economic policy, as well as whether he should be held personally responsible for Johnson’s demise, any impression of unity is likely to be only a superficial effect.
Former culture secretary and current member for Mid Bedfordshire Nadine Dorries was among those who voiced support for Boris Johnson on Thursday, both on television and on Twitter, where she said, “One person was elected by the British public with a manifesto and a mandate until January 25”:
One person was elected by the British public with a manifesto and a mandate until January ‘25.
If Liz Truss is no longer PM there can be no coronation of previously failed candidates.MPs must demand return of @BorisJohnson – if not it has to be leadership election or a GE.
— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) October 20, 2022
Member for West Cornwall Derek Thomas tweeted in support of Mordaunt, who he said had been his first choice when he supported Truss:
Although she wasn’t my first choice, I supported Liz Truss because I believed she would deliver the growth this country needs.
She herself accepted in her resignation speech that she will not be able to do so.
My first choice for Prime Minister is again Penny Mordaunt.#PMforPM— Derek Thomas MP (@DerekThomasUK) October 20, 2022
Key events
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The European Research Group (ERG) of Tory MPs will convene a full plenary meeting on Monday morning to discuss who it should back in the leadership contest, the Telegraph reports.
The discussions will begin at 10.30am on Monday and will play a key part in whether Boris Johnson can win the necessary 100 MPs to face the members in the round of ballot.
The Observer’s Michael Savage writes that members of the group are divided, with some going for Johnson but others refusing.
ERG is now interesting – it is divided, some going for Johnson but others refusing. It is not a united cohort and with a Braverman candidate unable to get 100 nominations, it will be interesting to see where someone like Steve Baker goes – remember, he called for Johnson to go.
— Michael Savage (@michaelsavage) October 21, 2022
Tory MP Tim Loughton has criticised the business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg for his #BorisandBust slogan.
Loughton warned Rees-Mogg he should “really think this through properly” if he has “any interest in party unity”.
Jacob-how on earth can that slogan be remotely helpful to the Party given the strong possibility that the next PM will not be Boris? I would not use the tag line #BorisandBust and you really should think this through properly if you have any interest in party unity https://t.co/AdtXLCLLSv
— Tim Loughton MP 🇺🇦 (@timloughton) October 21, 2022
Rory Carroll
Edwin Poots, who lasted 21 days as leader of the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) before a humiliating defenestration, has some counsel for Liz Truss.
He told the Belfast Telegraph:
She just needs to dust herself down, pick herself up and move on. My strongest piece of advice I would give to her is to not become bitter about it.
DUP colleagues unhappy over a deal to revive the Northern Ireland assembly forced Poots to quit in June 2021 just three weeks after he was supposed to lead them to a new era, giving him a perspective on fiasco and thwarted ambition.
“A political career is what you achieve over whatever time you’re in politics. What has happened is hugely unfortunate for Liz Truss, but that’s not to say her career is over,” he said.
I would advise that she just gets on with things, and if there’s something different out there for her, then go for it.
I’d also advise her not to dwell on what has happened over the course of the last number of weeks. It’s just been a perfect storm for her — but that’s politics for you.
The next prime minister will decide whether to go ahead with the government’s spending plan on 31 October, Downing Street has said.
A No 10 spokesperson said:
Major fiscal decisions will be for the next prime minister.
We are working in preparation for the 31st. Obviously a decision for proceeding on that will be for the next prime minister.
Downing Street also said Liz Truss would spend her last weekend at Chequers.
If Truss is still prime minister next Wednesday, she will take part in PMQs, they added.
Two Conservative former cabinet ministers have tweeted their backing for Rishi Sunak in the last hour: Liam Fox and Gavin Williamson.
I believe @RishiSunak is the best person to take the Conservative party and, most importantly, the country forward. He has the talent, integrity, and humility necessary to provide us with a fresh start and a steady hand. I am proud to support him.
— Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) October 21, 2022
Esther Addley
When Boris Johnson resigned as prime minister, just three and a half months ago, some naively believed the most chaotic days of Conservative government were over. Compared with the six white-knuckle weeks of the Liz Truss project, however, the Johnson years may start to feel like the good old days of calm and order.
That’s what the former prime minister seems to be hoping, at least, as he scrambles home from holidaying in the Caribbean, apparently in an attempt to reclaim the keys to Downing Street.
So it may be worth recalling the reasons why no fewer than 57 of Johnson’s ministers resigned from his government in July to force him out of Downing Street, believing his leadership no longer tenable. Here is a reminder.
Read the full story here:
Rajeev Syal
A charter airline hired to remove people seeking refuge in the UK to Rwanda has pulled out of the scheme after pressure from campaigners.
A plane operated by Privilege Style first attempted to fly asylum seekers to the east African country in June but was grounded by an 11th hour ruling by the European court of human rights.
The Mallorca-based carrier had become known as the UK government’s “airline of last resort” for its willingness to conduct deportation flights that other airlines refused.
But after an email campaign by torture survivors and refugee organisations, Privilege Style has said it will no longer operate flights to Rwanda.
The development will leave the UK government in a fix. Two other charter airlines that previously conducted deportation flights, Titan Airways and AirTanker, have already ruled themselves out of the scheme.
Read the full story here:
Earlier we discussed why the Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson still matters. Noa Hoffman from the Sun reports that some MPs have been privately talking about ways to kill off the Committee to stop it from causing trouble for Johnson.
Understand some MPs have been privately talking (very informally) about ways to possibly kill off the privileges committee to stop it causing trouble for Boris Johnson
— Noa Hoffman (@hoffman_noa) October 21, 2022
Some MPs have suggested to ITV News’ Anushka Asthana that they are considering asking the House to vote on rescinding the original motion.
Some have suggested to me they are wondering whether they could ask House to vote on getting rid of the referral – saying if Tory part has reendorsed him it would be hard for MPs to vote against. https://t.co/YQ9QJPoiuh
— Anushka Asthana (@AnushkaAsthana) October 21, 2022
The Labour MP Chris Bryant says it’s “highly unlikely” such a motion would carry and that he expects the Committee could report its findings in January.
In case anyone is wondering: the Privileges Committee inquiry into Johnson will continue unless and until a motion tabled by the government rescinding the original motion is carried by the House. I think it’s highly unlikely such a motion would carry. 1/2
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) October 21, 2022
Witnesses working with the Committee have told Paul Brand from ITV that there is no shortage of people willing to testify against Johnson.
Witnesses who are working with the Privileges Committee tell me there are no shortage of people willing to testify against Boris Johnson. Risk is that they become even more determined if he returns as PM, which could make the whole fiasco much more embarrassing for the party. https://t.co/PkaENFFbwG
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) October 20, 2022
Christian Matheson has posted a resignation statement as Labour MP for the City of Chester on his website.
His statement comes after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards upheld two allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
He said:
I have today, with great sadness, tendered my resignation as Member of Parliament for the City of Chester.
This follows publication of a report which had found me guilty of sexual misconduct.
From the start I accepted I had committed a minor breach of the code and had hoped that an honest and open approach would stand me in a fair light. This has proven not to be the case and I am dismayed that I have been found guilty of several allegations that I know to be untrue.
Indeed my insistence on what I know to be true – that I had no sexual motivation in this matter – was held against me as a refusal to accept my guilt, and caused an increased sanction which I felt was disproportionate.
Despite provable factual inaccuracies in the sanctions report, my appeal against sanction was not even considered, for the same reason.
Therefore, I faced a suspension from the House of four weeks. Whilst I believe that this is an excessive and unfair penalty, I cannot challenge the process further. I believe that the honourable and right thing to do now is to resign my seat and seek to rebuild my life elsewhere. I would ask for privacy for my family. This matter has also caused a great toll on my health, requiring my hospitalisation, and I ask that my privacy is respected while I recover.
I will forever be grateful to my constituency, and my party, for giving me the honour to serve, and I apologise to the people of Chester, and to the House of Commons, for the disrepute I have brought. I once again apologise to the complainant in my case, for the hurt I have caused.
Lisa O’Carroll
Foreign secretary James Cleverly has described an EU database and webpage listing laws Brussels believes are applicable to Northern Ireland under the Brexit trading arrangements as “unilaterally operated”.
In a letter to Sir Bill Cash, the chair of the EU scrutiny committee, he said the UK did not endorse the webpage.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly has written to Sir Bill Cash to describes an EU database of what laws it thinks apply to NI under the protocol as “unilaterally operated” and not something the UK was consulted over. pic.twitter.com/s3bd83S4YU
— Lisa O’Carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 21, 2022
“The government’s position remains that we reserve our right to consider, and, if necessary to set out our view as to which pieces of legislation apply within Northern Ireland, and under what legal basis,” he said, adding that disagreements would be raised through the joint consultative working group, a dispute mechanism set up under the withdrawal agreement.
Labour MP Chris Matheson resigns after being suspended over ‘unwanted sexual advances’
Labour MP Chris Matheson has resigned after an independent conduct panel recommended he is suspended for “serious sexual misconduct”.
The Labour party is understood to have suspended the whip from Matheson and asked him to stand down as an MP after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards upheld two allegations of sexual misconduct against him.
A Labour spokesperson said:
This is an incredibly serious case. There must be a zero tolerance for sexual harassment and the Labour party has acted immediately following the ICGS (Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme) findings. We will now select a candidate that the people of Chester can be proud to vote for.
Labour MP Chris Matheson recommended to be suspended after ‘unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances’
An independent conduct panel has recommended Labour MP Christian Matheson is suspended for four weeks for “serious sexual misconduct”.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards upheld two allegations of sexual misconduct against Matheson by a former member of his staff.
The MP for the city of Chester allegedly invited her on a private trip abroad and “the invitation was sexually motivated, unwanted, and had placed the complainant under pressure and intimidated her”, according to the report.
The report writes:
On 21 May 2021 the complainant, a young woman and junior member of the respondent MP’s Parliamentary team, made a complaint under the House of Commons Independent Complaints Grievance Scheme (ICGS). She alleged that the respondent had behaved inappropriately towards her on a number of occasions, each involving sexual misconduct.
It continues:
This case involves a serious breach of the Sexual Misconduct Policy, with several aggravating factors. The impact of the misconduct has been significant.
We recommend that the respondent is suspended from the service of the House for four weeks. The period of suspension should not run over a period when the House is expected to be adjourned for more than four days.
Boris Johnson is privately urging Rishi Sunak to reach out and “get back together” in an olive branch after their public falling out, Ben Riley-Smith from the Telegraph writes.
Johnson has put his ability to win elections at the heart of his pitch to Tory MPs. One ally told the paper:
If the Tories are serious about winning in 2024 and want to stop a general election before then they need to revert to the guy with a mandate who is a seasoned campaigner.
They need someone to take the fight to Labour. There’s no point going to a yellow box junction without knowing how you are going to get out of it. Rishi should make contact and work out how the two of them can get back together.
The Lib Dems have tabled a motion in parliament to block Boris Johnson from becoming prime minister again.
The motion seeks to stop MPs who were found to have broken the law – as Johnson and Rishi Sunak were – while in government from becoming prime minister.
The Lib Dem deputy leader, Daisy Cooper, described Johnson as “Britain’s Berlusconi” and said he is not fit to govern Britain.
The Times’ Steven Swinford has been tracking the Tory MPs who have publicly declared their support in the leadership race.
Here’s where we are on latest *public* declarations of support for Tory leadership contest
Rishi Sunak – 44
Boris Johnson – 26
Penny Mordaunt – 15
This is just what we can see publicly – Boris Johnson’s backers say he’s got over 50, Sunak & Mordaunt expect big numbers today
— Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) October 21, 2022
Candidates need nominations from at least 100 MPs by 2pm on Monday to enter the race.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer said he was “rather surprised” by a now-deleted tweet by the Ukrainian government that appeared to support Boris Johnson in the Conservative party leadership race.
The official Ukrainian government tweeted “Better Call Boris” on Thursday evening, with the former PM’s face edited on to one of the promotional posters for the hit Netflix series, Better Call Saul.
Shortly afterwards, the tweet was deleted.
Asked on Sky News what he made of the tweet, Starmer said:
I saw that tweet and was rather surprised by it, but as far as Ukraine is concerned, my absolute imperative is to make sure that we’re all supporting Ukraine in the face of aggression from Putin.
I was surprised by the tweet but in the circumstances they face my absolute focus is on giving Ukraine all the support we possibly can.
The chair of the powerful 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, has confirmed there will be a hustings for MPs before they begin voting in the Tory leadership contest on Monday.
Why Privileges Committee investigation into Boris Johnson still matters
While Boris Johnson is reportedly jetting back from his Caribbean holiday, it’s worth remembering that the former prime minister is still under investigation by a Commons committee after being accused of misleading MPs about parties held in Downing Street during lockdown.
Johnson told MPs in December 2021 that “all guidance was followed completely in No 10”, six months before Scotland Yard issued more than 100 fines, including to the then prime minister personally, for law-breaking Covid parties.
If he is found to have been in contempt of parliament, Johnson could face suspension from the House of Commons or even lose his seat.
The ministerial code, the rule book for government ministers, says:
Ministers who knowingly mislead parliament will be expected to offer their resignation.
The veteran Tory MP Sir Roger Gale said yesterday:
We need to remember that Mr Johnson is still under investigation by the privileges committee for potentially misleading the House. Until that investigation is complete and he is found guilty or cleared, there should be no possibility of him returning to government.
The veteran Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope says he’s “really excited” about the prospect of Boris Johnson “riding to the rescue of the country”.
Speaking on Sky News, he described the former PM as “the great hope” for the nation and party. He said:
I think that the news that Boris Johnson might be riding to the rescue of the country and the Conservative party is really a great tonic. I’m really excited about that prospect because I didn’t want him to be deposed in the first place. I said we’d rue the day that he was deposed. Sadly, I’ve been proved right on that.
He called for any new leader, if it’s not Johnson, to hold a general election. He said:
I think there should be a general election because we need whoever becomes the leader – if it’s not Boris Johnson – we need to have the proper mandate. And the only way to get a proper mandate is to go to the people. I’m not pessimistic about the outcome of a general election.
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