'From vindictive to the ridiculous'...Rees-Mogg attacks decision to ban Boris from Parliament

BORIS Johnson was forced out by a committee that deliberately took the most "unfavourable" view of his behaviour, Tories insisted yesterday.

- Sam Lister

The former Prime Minister's enemies lined up to vilify him in a brutal Commons debate on the probe that ruled he misled Parliament.

And last night MPs voted by 354 to seven to approve the report and its sanctions. The result does not include MPs who did not vote, who will be recorded as abstaining.

Labour MPs attacked Mr Johnson for being "duplicitous" but some Tories accused the opposition of "political opportunism" who wanted a "formidable" opponent out of the way. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the recommendation to remove Mr Johnson's parliamentary pass was "ridiculous" and the 90-day suspension "vindictive".

The latter cannot be implemented as Mr Johnson, who was not present yesterday, has left Parliament. Sir Jacob added: "This is clearly a deliberate attempt to take the most unfavourable interpretation the committee can of Mr Johnson's activities." 

The Privileges Committee increased its recommended Commons suspension because Mr Johnson - the PM who delivered Brexit - criticised it.