Boris Johnson’s former Parliamentary Private Secretary ‘silent’ over Partygate report

Mr Stafford, the Rother Valley MP, was Mr Johnson’s Parliamentary Private Secretary between July 2022 and September that year, and a supporter of the former prime minister.

On June 6 last year, he tweeted: “Time and time again, Boris Johnson has got the big calls right.

“Whether it’s on Brexit, the vaccine, or Ukraine, it’s this Prime Minister that focuses on what really matters. Now is the time for unity so we can do what we were elected to do, deliver for the people of Britain.”

But he has not commented after a Tory-majority privileges committee found Mr Johnson deliberately misled the House over “Partygate” and “committed a serious contempt”.

Jake Richards, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Rother Valley, told the Local Democracy Service that he had sent Mr Stafford a letter about the matter.

In the letter, Mr Richards said: “Mr Johnson is a political mentor of yours. You acted as his Parliamentary Private Secretary, albeit for a remarkably short period, and sat behind him when he gave evidence to the Committee.

“You have so far been silent on this issue in recent days and weeks. I understand it may be difficult because of personal loyalties, but people in Rother Valley deserve to know your position on the conduct of our former Prime Minister.”

The Local Democracy Service has asked Mr Stafford if he accepted the findings of the committee; whether he thought Mr Johnson lied to the parliament and if he thought Mr Johnson had made a mistake.

Mr Stafford has failed to answer these questions by the deadline.

MPs will debate today whether they approve the committee’s report or not.