Tory bid to ‘kneecap’ Boris over burkas
Johnson under investigation after party chairman ‘acted without approval of No 10’
THE Conservative Party chairman has been accused of trying to “kneecap” Boris Johnson after it emerged that the former foreign secretary is being investigated for his comments about burkas.
Mr Johnson is refusing to apologise for a comment piece he wrote for The Daily Telegraph in which he compared women wearing burkas to “letterboxes” and “bank robbers”.
The Tories yesterday confirmed the party was examining “numerous” complaints against Mr Johnson and could launch a full investigation into whether his comments represented a breach of the party’s code of conduct.
Potential sanctions include removing the whip from Mr Johnson or suspending him as a Tory MP for a period, although party sources stressed that this was unlikely to happen.
The preliminary investigation into Mr Johnson prompted a furious response from Tory MPS, who criticised Brandon Lewis, the party chairman, for reigniting the row by demanding an apology from Mr Johnson.
Sources said Mr Lewis called for Mr Johnson to apologise on Twitter without consulting Downing Street, prompting accusations from Tory MPS that he was “freelancing” and attempting to thwart any leadership ambitions Mr Johnson may have.
One Tory MP said: “This is a com- plete own goal by Brandon Lewis. To anyone objective, it looks like a crude and unprincipled kneecap job on the favourite to succeed Theresa May.
“In the process he has managed to turn a minor story into a five-day frenzy of virtue-signalling nonsense. Brandon needs to close this down or he won’t last as party chairman.”
Another MP said that Mr Lewis had “lost the plot”.
Conor Burns, a Tory MP and ally of Mr Johnson, said: “It would be perverse and bizarre were the party to launch a formal investigation. When we have reached the stage when you cannot express an opinion it is a rum do in the party of freedom. What should have been a 24-hour news story has dragged on for the best part of a week and is damaging the party.”
Mr Lewis will play no part in the investigation into Mr Johnson. A source close to the party chairman said: “It is not personal and it has nothing to do with Brexit, it is simply the same rules that apply to everyone in the party.
“It is not unusual for the chairman not to be involved in code of conduct complaints involving MPS.”
The complaints against Mr Johnson are being assessed by an “investigating officer”, who could dismiss them if they are deemed “trivial”.
The party’s code of conduct says that MPS should not use their position
to “bully, abuse, victimise, harass or unlawfully discriminate against others”. Mr Johnson is the first MP to be investigated for an alleged breach of the code, which says holders of public office should exhibit certain principles in their own behaviour – including leading “by example to encourage and foster respect and tolerance” – since it was introduced in November last year.
Party sources said his comments were likely to be referred to a threeperson investigations panel, which could result in both the complainants and Mr Johnson being interviewed. If the panel unanimously agrees that Mr Johnson should be sanctioned, it will be referred to either the Conservative Party board or the Prime Minister.
As well as the complaints from Tory members, 100 British Muslim women who wear the burka or niqab wrote a letter to Mr Lewis demanding Mr Johnson be kicked out of the party.
It came as Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, was accused of “diverting precious resources” after she revealed she asked her experts to look into whether Mr Johnson’s comments on the burka constitute a hate crime.
Ms Dick said his remarks did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence after she asked her officers to look into them on Wednesday evening.
Asked about Mr Johnson’s remarks, Ms Dick was careful not to express her opinion, but said: “I think everybody in public life has to think about the impact of what they say.
“What Mr Johnson said, if it is not criminal, is a matter for Mr Johnson, his friends and colleagues and indeed the Conservative Party.”
Rowan Atkinson, the actor, voiced his support for Mr Johnson, saying his remarks were a “pretty good” joke. In a letter to The Times he wrote: “All jokes about religion cause offence, so it’s pointless apologising for them. You should really only apologise for a bad joke. On that basis, no apology is required.”
A Government source said CCHQ cannot choose which cases to investigate and which to ignore, adding: “This is not a choice that Brandon has made.”