Labour MP hits out at ‘ bizarre’ legal opinion

THE usual chairman of the Commons privileges committee hit out yesterday at the ‘ bizarre’ legal opinion on the Partygate probe.

Senior Labour MP Chris Bryant accused Lord Pannick of wanting to end the ‘ancient principle’ that MPs defend themselves before their peers rather than via lawyers.

He also claimed that Boris Johnson was trying to ‘intimidate’ the inquiry, likening it to last year’s failed attempt by the Government to spare former minister Owen Paterson punishment for lobbying.

Mr Bryant has recused himself from leading the investigation because his previous criticism about the PM would lead to allegations of bias. But yesterday he went on a lengthy online rant about No 10’s publication of legal opinion into the handling of the case. ‘You would have thought that Boris Johnson would want to clear his name in front of the privileges committee instead of trying to intimidate it,’ he wrote on Twitter. ‘Lord Pannick’s bizarre “opinion” has no formal status and is wrong on several counts.’

Mr Bryant insisted that, despite the concerns of the barrister, ‘of course Johnson will see all the allegations against him and will be given a fair hearing’. He added: ‘It’s time this disgraceful bullying stopped. If Johnson has a good case to make, he’ll be vindicated. If not, he should take his punishment.’

Mr Bryant told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme it was ‘very odd’ for the Cabinet Office to have sought the opinion. He said: ‘Parliament decides what contempt means. A deliberate lie is a gross contempt but so is an untruth left uncorrected.’