The SNP’s Westminster leader has said it was “perverse” he was asked to leave the House of Commons after accusing Boris Johnson of having “willfully misled” MPs - because he was telling the truth.
Ian Blackford has defended his claim the Prime Minister lied after being told to leave the chamber during yesterday’s statement by the Prime Minister on the Sue Gray report.
This morning, Mr Blackford repeated his assertion the Boris Johnson had misled the House over his denials parties were held at Downing Street
The SNP Westminster leader was repeatedly asked by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to withdraw the claim yesterday, as it is considered against parliamentary etiquette to make such an assertion.
But the SNP MP was unrepentant and called on Conservative MPs to remove Mr Johnson from office.
Sir Lyndsay Hoyle asks Mr Blackford to leave
Mr Blackford told Good Morning Britain: “This is a serious matter for the House of Commons because he has misled the House. And on the basis of having misled the House and having lied, that in itself is a resignation matter.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford thrown out of Commons for saying Boris Johnson 'wilfully misled Parliament'
“And it seems, I have to say, slightly perverse that I was the one to be thrown out of the House of Commons on the basis if standing up and telling the truth.
“If I had withdrawn what I said yesterday, I would have been guilty of doing what the Prime Minister has done — lying to everybody watching. One of these days he is going to have to accept that he has abused the trust out in him when he became Prime Minister.”
'One of these days the Prime Minister is going to have accept that he's abused the trust that was put in him when he became Prime Minister. He should of gone by now.'
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 1, 2022
SNP Westminster leader @Ianblackford_MP stands by his comments in Parliament which led to him being kicked out. pic.twitter.com/ukrQe7GHPP
Mr Blackford added: “He should have gone by now, and my message this morning to Tory MPs is, they are going to have to do the job because quite simply, this man is not fit for purpose.”
Earlier, The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber denied that refusing to withdraw accusations the Prime Minister “wilfully misled” MPs parties was a political stunt.
“No, it wasn’t a stunt, it wasn’t premeditated,” the SNP’s Westminster leader told BBC Breakfast.
“If I were to be in trouble because I’ve spoken the truth yet the man that has repeatedly told lies, the man that has sought to cover up everything that’s going on, the man that has misled parliament, sits there,” he said.
“I’m to be punished because I’ve stood up for my constituents and stood up for the millions of people in the United Kingdom that feel real anger.
“I have a duty to do what I have been sent to Westminster to do.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Mr Blackford said there was “widespread anger right throughout these islands” about the Prime Minister’s lockdown-busting parties in Number 10.
He said: “People did what they were told, made enormous sacrifices, in many cases of tremendous loss, weren’t able to grieve properly, weren’t able to hug relatives, and they see this characterisation of parties taking place at Westminster.”
READ MORE: Now Tory MPs will have to show their hands, says Kirsty Strickland
He added: “There used to be honour and dignity in politics, and I regret that that seems to be missing from the mind of the Prime Minister because, quite simply, he should have recognised he has lost the right to lead the United Kingdom, he should have resigned as Prime Minister, and I’ve got a duty to stand up and speak truth to power, and that’s exactly what I did yesterday in the House of Commons.”
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