Conservative MP Christopher Chope has been recommended to join the committee investigating claims that Boris Johnson misled parliament about his knowledge of parties breaking Covid law, sources have told the Guardian.
Chope would replace Laura Farris, who announced over the summer that she was resigning from the body that examines complaints about the behavior of MPs.
The nomination would have to be approved by the Commons in order for him to be appointed to the privileges committee.
Usually, the vote is taken as a “nothing or no” vote, meaning that if there was a dissenting voice, it would fall.
Chope’s appointment is likely to be controversial given his history of blocking laws, including attempts to ban “subskirting”.
One source said he was very familiar with parliamentary procedure. Chope also served on the Privileges Committee for two years from October 2017 to November 2019.
The government did not respond to a request for comment.
Jess Phillips, the shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, told the Guardian: “Chris Chope is not a man I would trust to sit on the standards committee. He tried to derail legislation that criminalized photos up women’s skirts Why would anyone think that was appropriate?
“Frankly, the Tories’ attempt to force him into the committee shows that no matter who their leader is, they will always rely on their peers not to live up to the standards the country would expect. The same old Tories.
Chope’s nomination would be one of the final acts by the Johnson administration, which has spoken out against the inquiry over its repeated denials that rules were broken during the lockdown.
Several of Johnson’s allies have called the investigation a “witch hunt.” The Prime Minister also recently used taxpayers’ money to commission legal advice costing £130,000 which was scorned by the privilege committee.
The Partygate inquiry will not look into the extent of the breach, which has already been looked into by the Metropolitan Police, which issued more than 100 fines, including to Johnson himself, and senior officer Sue Gray.
Instead, the seven-member committee, which has a Conservative majority but is chaired by Labour’s Harriet Harman, is expected to investigate whether Johnson misled parliament by denying that Covid laws had been broken.
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The investigation was launched after MPs passed a motion in April.
The committee can recommend punishment for those it deems to have broken the rules of the Common, such as a written apology, suspension or expulsion. However, for the sanction to be imposed, parliamentarians must vote for it.
The committee has pledged to continue investigating Johnson after he leaves Downing Street on Tuesday.
Evidence sought by the committee so far includes WhatsApp messages, photos and diary entries.