Boris Johnson’s reaction to a rebuke from the Speaker was as mature as you’d expect
The Owen Paterson lobbying scandal seems to have been something of a tipping point, both for revelations about MPs advising on matters that appear to be conflicts of interest, and for a cliff-edge drop in public confidence in the government.
“There was no question that [Owen Paterson] had fallen foul of the rules,” says Boris Johnson, two weeks after he ordered his party to stop Owen Paterson from being punished for doing so.
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) November 17, 2021
The debate on whether MPs should have a second job, or what kind of second job they should have, has been raging in and out of parliament, with some MPs insisting that their £81,932 salary isn’t enough.
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell on temp £20 UC rise “.. ’ ”
On MPs losing second jobs
" .. ' / .." #Newsnight #Channel4News pic.twitter.com/OXm5Jov9m3— Pete Edwards (@MrPeteEdwards) November 17, 2021
These are a couple of solutions they might want to consider.
Let them have second jobs but only in sectors with Brexit-related shortages.
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) November 17, 2021
instead of Tory MPs losing their second jobs could they not lose their first job
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) November 17, 2021
During Wednesday’s PMQs, Keir Starmer raised the Owen Paterson issue with Boris Johnson.
Keir Starmer – Will we do the decent thing and just say sorry for trying to give the green light to corruption?
Boris Johnson – Waffle… Waffle… Waffle
Keir Starmer – That's not an apology… a coward, not a leader#PMQs pic.twitter.com/wUYUKWpZBZ
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 17, 2021
Instead of apologising, Johnson tried to divert attention to the work Keir Starmer did for legal firm Mishcon de Reya, prior to becoming the Labour Leader, and regarding which there is no suggestion that he broke parliamentary rules.
It earned Johnson this rebuke.
"Sit down.…you may be the
Prime Minister of this country, but in this House, I'm in charge"– Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle #PMQs
— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@OxfordDiplomat) November 17, 2021
Lindsay Hoyle the Speaker telling Boris Johnson to sit down speaking for the whole country there 👍 #PMQS
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) November 17, 2021
If Speaker Lindsay Hoyle thinks he can do his job properly AND get a peerage, I'm afraid he's very much mistaken.#PMQs pic.twitter.com/Z2gbYKaRWK
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) November 17, 2021
If the PM were half as persistent about doing his job as he continued to be about this accusation, he wouldn’t be losing support faster than that Barbara Windsor character in an exercise class.
While Boris Johnson and his front bench might have found his Mishconduct pun uproariously funny, tweeters were a little more difficult to impress.
“Mr Speaker, I refer to the right hon gentleman’s ‘Mish-conduct’,” says Johnson, refusing to withdraw charge of misconduct against Starmer because he was punning on Mishcon de Reya. Groans from the chamber. A terrible joke at the end of a dreadful session for Johnson.
— Isabel Hardman (@IsabelHardman) November 17, 2021
"Mishconduct..?" pic.twitter.com/ltNbSValgi
— Richard Vaughan (@RichardVaughan1) November 17, 2021
Boris Johnson’s adolescent invention of the word “mishconduct” instead of “misconduct” to dodge parliamentary rules…
…goes to show, again, that his hunger in life is about trying to ride roughshod over rules. Not the smartest timing from him — but he can’t help himself.#PMQs
— Dr Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) November 17, 2021
When Johnson uses what he clearly thinks is a clever little play on words with "mishconduct", does he realise he just sounds like he's drunk?#PMQs
— 🇪🇺 Mark S Maquisard 🇪🇺🔶🇪🇺 #FBPA #FBPPR (@FanaticRealist) November 17, 2021
Boris Johnson there, with the Parliamentary equivalent of saying "No, I didn't swear, I said 'puck you' sir!" #pmqs pic.twitter.com/PyPYJmz7dy
— Alain Tolhurst (@Alain_Tolhurst) November 17, 2021
Boris Johnson thinks it's funny to mash words together and accuse Keir Starmer of "mishconduct".
Boris Johnson is a funt. #PMQs— Count Binface (@CountBinface) November 17, 2021
Oh, and there’s also this.
If the name Mishcon de Reya sounds familiar, it might be because they successfully acted in the Supreme Court case against Boris Johnson over the illegal prorogation.
Can’t imagine that had anything to do with the PM having a pop at them…
— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) November 17, 2021
READ MORE
James O’Brien on Brexit and the Owen Paterson scandal is 7 minutes very well spent
Image Screengrab