Boris Johnson has been accused of leading a “coordinated smear campaign” against a Westminster watchdog to avoid scrutiny of his alleged misconduct.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has written to the UK’s most senior civil servant Simon Case demanding an official probe into attacks on Kathryn Stone OBE, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
It comes after the Government tried to block the suspension of shamed Conservative MP Owen Paterson – who broke lobbying rules by promoting the interests of private companies who paid him at least £500,000.
Ministers also demanded an overhaul of the MPs’ standards watchdog, and suggested Stone should consider her position – before performing a U-turn in the face of public fury.
Blackford said: “The Prime Minister is right at the centre of the Tory corruption and cronyism scandal that has engulfed Westminster.
“There must be an official investigation into the Government’s unacceptable attacks and conspiracy against Kathryn Stone and the independent standards process – and those responsible must be held to account, including Boris Johnson. Legitimate questions have been raised over whether Number 10 targeted the Standards Commissioner in a botched attempt to bully, harass and neuter investigations into Johnson’s personal misconduct in office.
“This would be an act of corruption of the highest order by the most powerful person in the UK Government. Since coming to office, Boris Johnson has been embroiled in a litany of Tory sleaze scandals – breaking the ministerial code, acting unlawfully, handing peerages and government jobs to Tory donors, and soliciting dodgy donations for luxury holidays and home refurbishments.”
After the botched attempt to save his job, Paterson has now resigned as MP for North Shropshire, saying he wanted a life “outside the cruel world of politics”.
Blackford added: “The events of the last week really underpinned that there is a wider story as to the way that this Government has been behaving. Boris Johnson should be apologising to Kathryn Stone because she has an important job to do and she has done it well.”
Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major has also criticised the Government’s handling of Paterson’s case as shameful and wrong. He added: “If I am concerned at how the Government is behaving, I suspect lots of other people are as well.”
Last night a Government spokesman said the Cabinet Secretary would respond to Blackford’s letter in due course.
He added: “As the Prime Minister has said, paid lobbying and paid advocacy by ministers and MPs is absolutely wrong. All elected officials must abide by the rules of conduct, as the public have a right to expect.”
