BORIS Johnson using Ukraine as a “shield” to keep him in post is “offensive”, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The Prime Minister is set to face MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday and could see a censure vote on his conduct, after being given a fixed penalty notice for Covid-19 breaches by the Met Police.
As the Westminster parliament was in Easter recess when the fine was issued, this will be the first time that MPs will have a chance to hold the PM to account.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson's fine like a parking ticket, minister claims
And ahead of the crunch afternoon for Johnson, Starmer also said he had expected the PM to “apologise and excuse himself”.
He rejected the “offensive” assertion that Boris Johnson could not be removed while the Ukraine war was raging.
He told ITV’s Lorraine: “I don’t really buy into this idea, by the way, that Johnson is the only person of any importance in the Ukraine crisis.”
Any Tory successor would share similar views on Ukraine and there was support across the Westminster parties for the UK’s position, he said, meaning there was no need to keep Johnson in place.
The Labour leader added: “He is using that, really, as a shield and I think that’s pretty offensive.
“I understand the argument that the Conservative Party is making, which is ‘we are not going to bring him down, we are prepared to go out and parrot his ridiculous defences’.
“I think for the public it is different, I think people still talk about this, they really hurt about it.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson to make 'full-throated' apology in Parliament
“I think any Conservative MP that thinks this is just going to go away is making a huge mistake.”
Starmer also told the daytime TV programme that he expected the PM to resign after he was given a fixed penalty notice.
He added: “The Prime Minister makes the laws, tells the country to obey the laws, then breaks them and then – in my view – lies to Parliament about it.
“For millions of people, complying with the rules really, really hurt.
“This is why it has gone so deep – we’ve all heard of terrible cases of funerals that people couldn’t attend.”
Starmer dismissed the argument put forward by some of the Prime Minister’s allies that Johnson’s punishment was “like a speeding fine”.
The former director of public prosecutions said: “I have never had anybody break down in front of me because they couldn’t drive at 35mph in a 30mph zone; I have had no end of people in tears – in real bits – about complying with rules that really, really hurt them.”
READ MORE: Pete Wishart: You really DO need to Vote Till You Boak on May 5 - here's why
There has been a “pathetic display of Tory MPs going out to defend the indefensible” and it is “something they all ought to be ashamed of”, he added.
It comes as Johnson is set for a rocky ride in the Commons this week, with the chair of the Commons Defence Committee saying on Tuesday that the PM should give MPs the option of a vote of no confidence - claiming many Tory MPs will back him.
Tobias Ellwood MP told BBC Breakfast that now was the time for a vote on Johnson’s future as Prime Minister.
He said: “Unfortunately, many, many MPs continue to be very numbed by this, very, very concerned by where we’re going.
“We have to defend this at the next general election. We’ve got some more fixed penalty notices likely to come forward, Sue Gray’s report to conclude, and, of course, those important local elections on the fifth of May.
“If I was the Prime Minister, I would show leadership here, recognise this requires crisis management as such, and say that ‘these are difficult times, I will give you the opportunity to support me through an actual vote of confidence’.”
He added that the vote could be held after the May local elections “if they go badly”.
“Therefore, the party itself can recognise whether we all support the Prime Minister, or the Prime Minister has support and we march forward, or it is time for change,” he said.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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