Boris Johnson has led Government 'through the sewers' with standards scandal, Sir Keir Starmer says

The Prime Minister was not in the House of Commons this afternoon to hear the emergency debate triggered by last week’s dramatic scenes, as the Leader of the House of Commons called on Members to “sort out the mess” that has engulfed Parliament in recent days.

Instead, Cabinet Office Minister Steve Barclay was left to defend the Government’s record and share Minister’s “regret” for their earlier “mistake”.

Last Wednesday. the Conservative benches attempted to overhaul standards processes, after the now former MP for North Shropshire was found to have lobbied Ministers on behalf of two companies paying him large salaries.

But, as the sleaze row grows, the Metropolitan Police have now been asked to investigate claims that past Treasurers of the Conservative Party who have offered large donations have been handed appointments to the House of Lords.

Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir told MPs that Mr Johnson has "damaged himself, he damaged his party and he damaged our democracy.

“He led his party through the sewers and the stench lingers.

“This week he had the chance to clean up, to apologise to the country and finally accept that the rules apply to him and his friends.

“But instead of stepping up he has hidden away. Instead of clearing up his mess he has left his side knee-deep in it. Instead of leading from the front, he has cowered away. He is not a serious leader and the joke isn’t funny any more.”

Sir Keir’s comments were offered in response to Mr Barclay standing up for the Government, having said that: “I’d like, first and foremost, to express my regret and that of my ministerial colleagues over the mistake made last week.”

The Cabinet Office Minister went on: “We recognise there are concerns across the House over the standards system and also the process by which possible breaches of the code of conduct are investigated.

“Yet whilst sincerely held concerns clearly warrant further attention, the manner in which the Government approached last week’s debate conflated them with the response to an individual case.

“This House shares a collective interest in ensuring that the code of conduct reflects and fosters the highest standards of public life."

Following reports in The Sunday Times this weekend, additionally, the SNP have now asked the Metropolitan Police investigate peerage appointments to the House of Lords by the Conservative Party.

SNP Commons leader Pete Wishart claimed there was “cash for honours 2.0”, telling MPs the “price to get into the House of Lords has gone up from £1 million from New Labour to £3 million from the Conservatives”.

He added: “It now seems that nearly all the past treasures of the Conservative Party of later years are in that place, wearing their ermine, taking a part in the legislative decisions of this country.

“The only characteristic they seem to have, the only defining feature that seems to get them a place in that House, is the fact they’re able to give several million pounds to this Government.

The Prime Minister was not in Westminster yesterday having travelled to and from a “long-standing” hospital visit in the North East via train.

Shouts of ‘Run Boris, Run” were heard shortly after the debate’s opening, as MPs accused him of trying to escape scrutiny.

When asked by broadcasters during his visit to a hospital in Hexham, Mr Johnson declined the opportunity to apologise for the last week’s events, saying that “What we’ve got to make sure is that we take all this very, very seriously and that we get it right.”