Jacob Rees-Mogg: Bernard Jenkin should stop the party gate investigation that punished Boris Johnson

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed the Privilege Committee's report to Boris Johnson. Photo: Paul Grover for The Telegraph Choppers political podcast 070723

Sir Bernard Jenkin is due to resign from the House of Commons committee that found Boris Johnson guilty of misleading MPs over quarantine violations, police are now investigating allegations that he also broke the rules, said Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.

The former cabinet minister said news of the Metropolitan Police's investigation into Sir Bernard's behavior «fundamentally undermines» the committee's verdict that the former prime minister violated quarantine rules.

Sir Jacob is one of seven Conservative MPs which will be next week in the House of Commons, the committee was criticized for calling the committee a «kangaroo court» in connection with the investigation. the initial report led Mr. Johnson to retire from politics in protest of his treatment.

However, the committee's credibility was called into question after Sir Bernard was accused of breaking the rules himself by attending an event allegedly commemorating the 65th birthday of Baroness Jenkin of Kennington, his wife, despite a ban on socializing in private. premises in London.

The December 8, 2020 cake and drinks gathering was reportedly hosted by Dame Eleanor Laing, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.

Committee report 'undermined'

Speaking to this week's Chopper Politics podcast, which you can listen to on the player above, after the Met said its staff was investigating, Sir Jacob said: «While he's under investigation, he should recuse himself. himself from participation in the committee, and he must return to it only if he is admitted.”

Asked if the committee's report undermines the investigation, Sir Jacob replied: “Of course it does. If you have someone who wrote the report that ranted like that, and if it now turns out that he actually violated the rules in the same way, then this fundamentally undermines the report due to Boris's approach to protection.

< p>“Boris kept saying that at that time it was in the rules. He [Sir Bernard] said it was a working meeting and that's what Boris said. Did we apply a different standard to the former prime minister than Sir Bernard applies to himself?»Sir Bernard Jenkin has himself been accused of violating lockdown rules. Photo: Niklas Hallen/AFP via Getty Image

He added: «This is very serious, because if you look at the questions that Sir Bernard asked Boris Johnson in the privileges committee, the essence of his questions was: «Wasn't it obvious what are the rules? How can you tell us that you didn't know you were prime minister? Of course you knew.”

«Well, doctor, heal yourself.» Sir Bernard was and remains the chairman of the liaison committee, a high-ranking parliamentarian, a person who participated in the debate about the rules being introduced, knew how to get around them.

“And therefore, if he violated them and, of course, he has the right on the presumption of innocence, even if he did not really want to give it to Boris, but he has the right to it.

“If he violated these rules, it is really serious and puts him in an incredibly difficult position.”

«It's a jar of worms»

This came after Lord Cruddas of Shoreditch, who heads the Conservative Democratic Organization and received the nobility from Johnson, said that Sir Bernard should report to his own committee.

He said: «He should report to the commission on parliamentary privileges for an investigation, as Boris did.

“If he is given a ban, then he may have to resign as a deputy. It's a can of worms. The Privilege Committee should not ask Parliament to approve their second report.»

Sir Bernard was approached for comment and said on Tuesday evening: «It is inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation.»

He previously denied attending a drinking party and his ally said no rules were broken and Dame Eleanor insists she consulted the restrictions.

Listen to Christopher Hope's interview with Sir Jacob Rhys. -Mogg on Chopper's Politics Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.