Captain Hindsight launches assault on Major Sleaze at blistering PMQs
Sir Keir Starmer backed Boris Johnson into a corner at today’s PMQs, forcing the PM to issue an irate denial of comments that he would rather let “bodies pile high” than enforce another lockdown, and to pledge that no offences were committed in the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
The ill-tempered debate comes after the Electoral Commission announced an investigation into the refurbishment of the No 11 flat, saying: “We are now satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred.”
Zeroing in on the PM’s alleged “bodies pile high” remarks, Starmer asked: “Can the Prime Minister tell the house categorically, yes or no, did he make those remarks or remarks to that effect?”
In what was either an assured declaration of his innocence or a huge gamble that nobody taped the exchange, Johnson told the House “no”, he had not made those remarks, before challenging his accusers to substantiate their claims. He said the decision to enforce lockdown would have been “very bitter, very difficult” for any prime minister.
“The house will have heard the Prime Minister’s answer,” Starmer noted, before reminding the PM that the Ministerial Code calls for the resignation of those who knowingly mislead parliament. “There’ll be further on this, believe you me,” he said pointedly.
Deploying a similarly forensic attack over claims about the flat, Starmer asked the PM who “initially” paid for its redecoration. In response, Johnson dodged the question with the assurance: “I paid for the Downing Street refurbishment personally”, adding: “Any further declaration that I have to make – if any – I will be advised upon by Lord Geidt, the new adviser on ministers’ interests” – who was appointed this morning.
Asked again about the “initial” invoice, the PM insisted that he had not broken any rules: “I can tell him that I’ve conformed in full with the code of conduct and with the ministerial code and officials who have been advising me throughout this whole thing.”
Challenged over whether newly appointed peer Lord Brownlow paid £58,000 to help repay the cost of the refurbishment, Johnson insisted “I have covered the cost” and once again changed the subject to the amount of taxpayer money spent by previous Labour leaders during their own redecorations of the flat.
Keen to drive home allegations of widespread Conservative sleaze, Starmer told MPs that Johnson and his government were providing “dodgy contracts, jobs for their mates, and cash for access.” He rounded off the session by branding the PM “Major Sleaze” – a moniker to rival “Captain Hindsight”.
Clearly rattled, Johnson hit back at Starmer with a flurry of angry retorts about Conservative victories with ventilators, vaccines, police officers and Brexit deals.
He said: “Week after week, the people in this country can see the difference between the Labour Party that twists and turns with the wind, that thinks of nothing except playing political games – whereas this party gets on with delivering on the people’s priorities. And I hope that people will vote Conservative on May the sixth.”