Tory MP has whip removed for ‘duplicity’
Boris Johnson removed the whip from a senior Tory MP last night after he staged an “ambush” to thwart the Prime Minister’s hand-picked choice for the chairmanship of a key parliamentary committee. Julian Lewis was accused of “duplicity” by allegedly making a pact with Labour MPS to elect him as chairman of the intelligence and security committee instead of the former Cabinet minister Chris Grayling. The committee oversees MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.
BORIS JOHNSON removed the whip from a senior Tory MP last night after he staged an “ambush” to thwart the Prime Minister’s hand-picked choice for the chairmanship of a key parliamentary committee.
Julian Lewis was accused of “duplicity” by allegedly making a pact with Labour MPS to elect him as chairman of the Commons intelligence and security committee instead of former Cabinet minister Chris Grayling.
The committee oversees the work of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ and has the responsibility of publishing a potentially sensitive report on alleged Russian interference in British politics, which was completed last year but was first put on ice until after December’s general election then faced a lengthy delay by No10 in naming its selections for the new committee’s membership.
Mr Johnson had controversially chosen five Conservative MPS to serve on the nine-member committee, giving them a majority, in a move to ensure Mr Grayling’s election as chairman. However, Dr Lewis secretly put his own name forward for the chairmanship, meaning that there were two names on the ballot. Having voted for himself, Dr Lewis also secured the support of the four non-tory members. A Government source confirmed he had the whip removed, adding: “He has been told by the Chief Whip that it is because he worked with Labour and other opposition MPS for his own advantage.”
A second source said: “There are consequences for that duplicity.”
The four other Tories on the committee – Mr Grayling, Theresa Villiers, Sir John Hayes and Mark Pritchard – were so appalled by his behaviour they did not offer Dr Lewis their congratulations after the result was announced.
One senior Tory MP, who is not on the committee, said: “Everyone is seeing this as a deal Julian has done with Labour and the SNP.
“But when you dance with the devil you end up dancing to the devil’s tune. Instead of voting for a fellow Tory he has got himself elected by the opposition, including the SNP, who want to get rid of the nuclear deterrent and don’t even believe in our security.”
Dr Lewis, an MP for 23 years, was best man at John Bercow’s wedding, and one Tory MP said: “This is a reprise of what Bercow did when he got elected as Speaker by Labour MPS despite being a Tory.”
While the Prime Minister proposed the members of the committee, who were then confirmed by Parliament, the members alone are responsible for choosing the chairman.
The Daily Telegraph understands the four other Tory committee members had arrived for the vote expecting Mr Grayling’s name to be the only one on the ballot paper, or a ballot that pitched him against one of the Labour MPS.
Instead they were confronted with two Tory names on the ballot paper – Mr Grayling and Dr Lewis.
“It was a bit of an ambush,” said an ally of Mr Grayling.
“The Conservatives have the majority but it only takes one to vote a different way. All afternoon it seemed fine, Chris was expecting to be elected, and then suddenly it transpired that Julian had voted for himself, and obviously in a committee of nine that’s enough to swing it.”