New Forest West MP Sir Desmond Swayne among seven to vote against ‘Partygate’ report

New Forest MP Sir Desmond Swayne was among seven MPs who voted against a report which found former PM Boris Johnson had deliberately misled parliament over lockdown parties at Downing Street.

The Commons last night (Monday) overwhelmingly voted to support a cross-party committee report which said Mr Johnson had committed five contempt of parliament offences when he said Covid rules had been followed at No.10.

The vote was 354 to seven, with no-vote recorded by 225 MPs who either abstained or did not turn up.

New Forest East MP Sir Julian Lewis voted in support of the report, while Christchurch’s Sir Christopher Chope abstained.

Despite his vote not being included on official records, Sir Desmond today confirmed to the A&T he had voted against.

Sir Desmond defended the decision in a post on his website, saying that rather than supporting Mr Johnson he felt the offences had not been proven, and criticised the choice of chair, Labour’s Harriet Harman.

“I am confident that the judgement I have reached will please neither Boris’s supporters nor his detractors,” he said.

“That shameful behaviour took place in Downing Street during lockdown, is not in doubt. Boris has acknowledged this and apologised for it. Many believe that those at the helm of such a dysfunctional ship should have taken responsibility and resigned. I have some sympathy with that view. Nevertheless, this was not the issue that was before the Committee of Privilege and the Commons.

“I do not impugn the integrity of the Committee, though I believe it was unwise to have allowed itself to be chaired by someone who had been so critical of Boris. Nevertheless, I do not question her integrity.

“The procedure adopted by the committee and the Commons was the right one: only elected members of Parliament should determine whether another elected member be suspended or expelled.

“I simply disagree with the Committee’s conclusions, as I am entitled to do.”

Sir Desmond added that while he might have found Mr Johnson guilty of several offences had he “come before my court”, on the evidence presented for the current charges “I would have had no alternative but to acquit”.

“He may have wrong in his judgement but that is no basis on which to assert that he was lying,” he said.

Sir Desmond’s decision has been slammed by Liberal Democrat district and town councillor Jack Davies who demanded the Forest MP apologise.

“Only seven MPs voted to let Johnson off the hook for lying to Parliament, and our Conservative MP was one of them.

“This is an insult to bereaved families in the New Forest who grieved alone while Johnson lied and partied.

“Local people deserve better than an MP who won’t stand up for them. Desmond Swayne should apologise.”