MP: Boris bashers like Starmer 'are doing Putin's bidding'

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said the majority of people were sick of hearing about the PM's 'partygate' fine and wanted him to focus on Ukraine, the cost of living crisis and immigration.

He has vowed to back his boss to the hilt and branded Thursday's Labour-led motion calling for a probe into whether Mr Johnson misled parliament as political opportunism "at its very worst".

The Conservative MP also slammed Sir Keir Starmer's "hypocrisy", saying the Labour leader had only escaped punishment for his own lockdown breach because the police had declined to investigate it.

It comes after Mr Johnson again faced calls to resign after he was fined by the Met Police for attending a birthday gathering in Number 10 with members of his staff.

Mr Longhi said: "Clearly, this mindless Boris-bashing is being used for to suit certain people's political agendas and it has got to stop.

"The PM has apologised on numerous occasions and I think most people are now sick of hearing about it and want him to focus on issues like Putin's continued aggression in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis and dealing with immigration.

"Those people who want to remove the Prime Minister now are actually doing Putin's bidding."

Mr Longhi accused other politicians including Sir Keir and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon of "hypocrisy" for criticising the PM while having also breached lockdown rules.

Sir Keir was filmed drinking a beer with staff in an office in April 2021 but faced no action after Durham Constabulary ruled no offence had taken place. He insists he did nothing wrong.

Meanwhile, Mrs Sturgeon also escaped punishment after she was filmed breaching Scotland's face mask rules.

Mr Longhi said: "The only difference here is the consistency of decisions by different police forces."

Thursday's motion – which is almost certain to fail – will call for an inquiry into claims that Mr Johnson misled parliament by initially claiming that no rules were broken in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson, who again faced calls to resign during yesterday's PMQs, will miss the vote as he is visiting India.