'Petulant and harsh' Boris sanctions stopped me backing Partygate report, says MP
Sir Michael Fabricant said he would have backed the privileges committee's 'Partygate' report had the sanctions against Boris Johnson not been so "petulant and harsh".
The Lichfield MP joined 224 other Tory MPs – including many across the Black Country and Staffordshire – in abstaining in Monday's vote, which passed with an overwhelming majority.
He said he "did not disagree" with the committee's view that Mr Johnson had knowingly misled parliament, but said he was against the "sentence" of a 90-day parliamentary suspension.
Sir Michael called for future votes on privileges committee reports to be split into separate motions.
He said: "Although I do not disagree with the overall findings of the committee, I thought the punishment was both petulant and harsh. The committee seemed to be as much concerned by the criticism of it than by the actions of Boris Johnson during Covid.
