Rother Valley MP – Boris Johnson’s former Parliamentary Private Secretary – ‘silent’ over Partygate report

Mr Stafford, Conservative MP for Rother Valley, was Mr Johnson’s Parliamentary Private Secretary between July and September 2022 and a supporter of the former Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP.

On June 6 last year, he tweeted: “Time and time again, Boris Johnson has got the big calls right.

“Whether it’s on Brexit, the vaccine, or Ukraine, it’s this Prime Minister that focuses on what really matters. Now is the time for unity so we can do what we were elected to do, deliver for the people of Britain.”

However, has not commented after a Tory-majority privileges committee found Mr Johnson deliberately misled the House over ‘Partygate’ and “committed a serious contempt”.

And he did not vote in yesterday’s vote to approve the Commons privileges committee’s report into Mr Johnson and his statements to the house on Partygate – the vote went through by 354 to seven.

Jake Richards, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Rother Valley, said he had written to Mr Stafford about the matter.

He wrote: “Mr Johnson is a political mentor of yours. You acted as his Parliamentary Private Secretary, albeit for a remarkably short period, and sat behind him when he gave evidence to the committee.

“You have so far been silent on this issue in recent days and weeks. I understand it may be difficult because of personal loyalties, but people in Rother Valley deserve to know your position on the conduct of our former Prime Minister.”

Mr Stafford has been asked if he accepted the findings of the committee; whether he thought Mr Johnson lied to the parliament and if he thought Mr Johnson had made a mistake, but is yet to reply.