Benjamin Butterworth has called Dan Wootton “the Diane Abbott of the Tory Party” during a Partygate debate on GB News.
Although he is due to leave No.10 in less than a month, the Commons Privileges Committee is going ahead with its inquiry into whether the Boris Johnson committed a contempt of Parliament by misleading MPs with his Partygate denials.
Leading allies of the Prime Minister have attacked the investigation by the Commons Privileges Committee denouncing it as a “witch hunt”.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said it represented the “most egregious abuse of power” while environment minister Lord Goldsmith said the committee was “clearly rigged” against Mr Johnson, despite having a Tory majority.
Dan Wootton and Benjamin Butterworth
GB News
Boris Johnson
Peter Byrne
But speaking on GB News’ Dan Wootton Tonight about the investigation, Mr Butterworth said: “The truth is that if you say to the House of Commons as he did that no rules were broken, when he knew there had been cheese and wine in the garden, he knew there had been a party, he knew there had been a birthday cake.
“He knew all those things had happened and he said they hadn’t, you may well think that those things are not significant enough for him to lose his job, but that doesn’t mean it’s excusable for lying.”
Before Dan responded by saying: “But he didn’t think he was breaking the rules and they weren’t actually, the police only found him to break the rules in the cabinet room.”
As the debate continued, Mr Butterworth accused Dan of being the “Diane Abbott of the Tory Party”, referring to the Labour MP.
Mr Butterworth continued: “The truth is actually that people like you and the Boris cultists, you’re acting like the momentum of the right.
“Dan you are just the Diane Abbott of the Tory party, you are completely obsessed.”
Despite the investigation being slammed by some of Mr Johnson’s allies, the PM’s official spokesman said No.10 stood ready to assist the committee in its inquiries – and could continue to do so after Mr Johnson leaves office.
“There is a process for this. We will respond to the Privileges Committee in their work in due course. We want to look at this properly and abide by the process,” the spokesman said.
“This is something Parliament voted for. We will assist the committee in their inquiries so they can bring it to a conclusion.
“We would expect the committee to abide by the rules in that circumstance.”
