AN SNP MP shut down a claim from a former Boris Johnson aide that the former PM had been deprived of a livelihood following the Privileges Committee report into him.
Guto Harri, who previously worked as Downing Street’s director of communications, was discussing the news about Johnson on Thursday night's panel show.
Asked if he disagreed with the committee, he said: “I don’t think that if you can deprive people of their livelihood, you need to be beyond reproach.
“The idea the former leader of the Labour Party [Harriet Harman] can decide essentially on the process and the outcome that drives out a Conservative prime minister of Parliament for me, whether you like Boris or not, does not look like due process.”
“We’ve now got this unkempt manchild who has finally been chucked out of parliament and I don’t think deserves to return”
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) June 15, 2023
SNP’s David Linden says Boris Johnson’s honours list should be “scrapped” and legal fees repaid after the Partygate report#bbcqt https://t.co/9G5gsPtMwg pic.twitter.com/yYcBlzazIg
He said the UK “throws overboard” the idea of being “innocent until proven guilty” too often.
The committee is made up of seven members – four Conservative MPs, two Labour MPs and one SNP MP.
David Linden, who serves as the MP for Glasgow East, disputed the claim. He said: “Let’s not forget, this is a guy who has voted three times in the House of Commons since he left office and earned £5 million.
READ MORE: SNP MP says forensic tent outside Nicola Sturgeon home unusual
“I think Boris Johnson probably isn’t going to go hungry as a result of leaving Parliament.”
Linden’s answer was met with applause. He added that Johnson had always been “a bit creative with the truth” and that “chickens have come home to roost” for the Conservative Party.
“We’ve now got this unkempt man-child, who has finally been chucked out of Parliament and I don’t think deserves to return”, Linden said.
He continued: “I would go further than that. I think the £245,000 of your money that was spent on legal costs should be recouped from Boris Johnson.
“I think the honours list should be scrapped and I think the £115,000 a year he’s due to get for the rest of his life as a former prime minister should also be waived as well.
“We should all move on from this sorry saga – the cost of living crisis, the NHS and everything that matters to the people in this room.”
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