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Parties demand Commons debate on PM's 'inaccuracies'

PA Media Boris JohnsonPA Media

The Westminster leaders of six parties will meet Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle this week to push for a debate on what they call the prime minister's "inaccuracies" in Parliament.

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas accused Boris Johnson of being "untruthful" and said he must be held to account.

But accusing an MP of lying or having false motives is banned in Parliament.

The Liberal Democrats, Greens, SNP, Plaid Cyrmu, SDLP and Alliance Party will attend the talks with Sir Lindsay.

Labour is not backing the call for a debate - and the Speaker's office declined to comment ahead of the meeting.

Downing Street said the prime minister conducted himself "according to the ministerial code", which sets the standards of behaviour for those in government.

The meeting follows the publication of a letter last week, in which the parties called for a debate "to challenge the prime minister's persistent failure to give accurate information to the House of Commons".

The letter said Mr Johnson had wrongly claimed:

  • In March 2020, that the nurses' bursary - scrapped in 2017 - had been restored, whereas a smaller maintenance grant was instead on offer. A new bursary was brought in later that year
  • In June 2020, that 400,000 fewer households were living in poverty than in 2010
  • In February this year that "Bridgend would be one of the great centres of battery manufacturing in Britain", which the government later said was wrong
  • In the same month that, with Covid-related contracts, "all the details are on the record", whereas a High Court ruling had found the government had acted unlawfully by not publishing all details on time
  • In January 2020, that the UK economy had grown by 73% "under this Conservative government", rather than since 1990

The BBC has looked at some of these claims - including those on poverty, battery manufacturing in Bridgend, and Covid contracts.

The letter argued that the "standing and reputation of Parliament" was "being put at risk by the lack of truthfulness in statements by the prime minister and his consistent failure to live up to the standards" required on "honesty and truthfulness in public life".

Under House of Commons rules, MPs are not permitted to accuse one another of lying - or similar behaviour - in the chamber, which would make any debate on the prime minister's "inaccuracies" and statements difficult.

Caroline Lucas
Caroline Lucas said she thought a debate on the subject of Boris Johnson could go ahead

But Ms Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said she felt there were ways to overcome it.

"The issue couldn't be more serious," she added. "We have got a parliamentary system based on confidence that all members are honourable.

"The point is that MPs cannot hold the prime minister to account when they should be able to."

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said it was "essential" that Mr Johnson responded to questions.

'Paramount importance'

The letter followed a video being posted on Twitter by the campaigner Peter Stefanovic, outlining what he called "clear evidence" of the prime minister "misleading Parliament". This has been viewed more than 12.8 million times.

Mr Stefanovic has also accused the BBC, ITV News, Sky News and Channel 4 News of failing to report on the issues he raises.

The ministerial code states: "It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity."

And the Nolan Principles of behaviour in public life say holders of public office should be "accountable to the public for their decisions" and "truthful".

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister follows the ministerial code and Nolan Principles when conducting himself in public life."

If a debate does go ahead and a vote is held on any motion submitted, it is unlikely to pass, with the Conservatives set to oppose.