Monday, November 8th, 2021
Scottish criticism of the neighbor
Sturgeon: “Corruption in the Heart of Johnson’s Government”
Boris Johnson’s British government is currently embroiled in several scandals. The Prime Minister skipped a parliamentary debate on favoritism. He has to have the Scottish Prime Minister read the riot act.
The Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party of corruption. “There is growing evidence of systematic corruption in the heart of Johnson’s government,” Sturgeon said in a panel discussion with journalists. “If we saw this behavior in Russia or other countries, Boris Johnson would denounce it as corruption.”
Currently, Johnson’s Tories are embroiled in several scandals. The government majority initially prevented the suspension of Tory MP Owen Paterson for improper lobbying. It was also made public that the Conservatives had given several large donors a place in the House of Lords.
“There is a deep disregard for rules and standards at the heart of his government,” said Sturgeon. Johnson seems to think that rules and laws apply to everyone but himself and his party. Johnson’s behavior is convincing more and more people in Scotland of the need to take the future into their own hands, said Sturgeon, referring to the secession of Scotland from Great Britain promoted by her party.
Johnson, however, stayed away from an urgent debate on lobbying and favoritism in the British Parliament. The debate was triggered by the government’s attempt last week to stop internal disciplinary proceedings against Tory MP Owen Paterson for grossly violating lobbying regulations.
Instead of Johnson, his Cabinet Secretary Steve Barclay now attended the parliamentary session. He apologized on behalf of the government for “the mistake made last week”.
“They say the fish stinks from the head”
Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer accused Johnson of “not having the decency to come here to defend or apologize for his actions”. Instead of showing leadership, the prime minister “decided to go into hiding”. Johnson had “led his party through the gutter and the stench lingered”. “They say the fish stinks from the head,” said MEP Wendy Chamberlain of the Liberal Democrats. It is therefore regrettable that Johnson does not take part in the debate.
The conservative ex-prime minister, John Major, had criticized the government’s approach to the lobbying affair last week as being “shameful” and damaging to parliament.
Press reports that the Conservatives were “systematically” filling seats in the upper house with important party donors had fueled the discussion over the weekend. The Liberal Democrats are now calling for a committee of inquiry into the allegations of corruption and lobbying. He would have the authority to summon witnesses and to hear them under oath.