Boris Johnson accused of avoiding scrutiny by not facing MPs

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/24/johnson-avoiding-scrutiny-cancelled-appearances-says-senior-mp

Version 0 of 1.

Boris Johnson’s decision to cancel at short notice another scheduled appearance before senior MPs has been described as an “extraordinary” move to avoid detailed scrutiny.

The prime minister sent a letter on Wednesday night saying he would miss a Thursday morning appearance before the House of Commons liaison committee so he could concentrate on “delivering Brexit”.

The committee’s chair, Sarah Wollaston, said the public would have to draw their own conclusions as to why Johnson did not appear.

It is the third time he has refused to appear before the committee, which is comprised of the chairs of select committees. He has appeared only twice at prime minister’s questions during his time in No 10.

“This is the only select committee that can call the prime minister, and this is now the third time that he’s cancelled, despite having given a clear reassurance during the leadership campaign that he would come at an early opportunity,” Wollaston told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“So I think that’s the point here. He knows that he’s been prime minister for months now, he’s only had two appearances at prime minister’s questions, and again not facing this kind of detailed scrutiny, I don’t think it’s good enough.

“I do think it’s extraordinary to have now cancelled on three occasions, and last time he cancelled, he submitted himself to 14 minutes of Facebook live questions with presubmitted questions.”

Johnson wrote to Wollaston on Wednesday night promising that he would at some point keep a previous promise to appear before the committee, but saying he could not do so on Thursday.

“I am afraid I must now focus on delivering Brexit in the difficult circumstances in which we now find ourselves,” he said in a scrawled note.

“I believe I would be of greater value if I could postpone for a fixed date nearer five or six months after I became PM, so that my appearance took place after roughly the same period in office as Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Theresa May. I do hope you understand.”

In a written reply, Wollaston said: “Our role as select committee chairs is to ask you detailed questions on behalf of the public and we planned to do so on Brexit, climate change, health and social care. It is unacceptable that you are refusing to be held to account.”

Johnson’s original appearance before the committee on 11 September was cancelled after parliament was suspended in the early hours of the day before.

The supreme court later ruled prorogation was unlawful, meaning the session did not technically end at all.

The judges criticised the length and timing of the earlier suspension. Lady Hale, the supreme court president, said the prime minister’s decision to move for a five-week suspension “had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of parliament to carry out its constitutional functions”.

After suspending parliament for a second time in October, missing another scheduled prime minister’s questions the following Wednesday, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, Valerie Vaz, said Johnson had appeared once out of a possible four appearances.

“He is like Macavity the mystery cat; he is called the hidden paw … although maybe, in the prime minister’s case, it is the not-so-hidden paws,” she told MPs.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said Johnson had spent the morning when he was supposed to be questioned by MPs holding meetings with members of his team and cabinet.

“Since taking office, he has spent more than 14 hours at the dispatch box taking questions from colleagues across the house,” the spokesman said.