London: Prime Minister Boris johnson The country’s leading constitutional expert said on Sunday that breaking the law set for pandemic restrictions has plunged Britain into a constitutional crisis, effectively “breaking the ministerial code”.
Peter hennessyA historian and member of the upper house of parliament, said Johnson had become a “great rebel in modern times of decency in public and political life” when he was fined by the police for attending a social gathering. Downing Street While there were restrictions of lockdown.
According to the government’s website, the Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.
Johnson has been accused by opposition lawmakers of misleading parliament on the matter after he told parliament last year that Downing Street had followed all rules during the pandemic. he will appear in House of Commons on Tuesday to explain why the police fined him.
He has also apologized after becoming the first British leader to break the law while in office. The police are investigating further gatherings and may face further fines.
“I think we are in the most serious constitutional crisis involving a prime minister I can remember,” Hennessy told bbc radioAsking why in public life would anyone follow the rules when the prime minister did not.
“The prime minister has sealed his place in British history as the first law breaker,” he said, adding that he was no longer qualified to serve the Queen or her country.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a minister in Johnson’s cabinet, said he respected Hennessy but did not think constitutional experts fully understood the constitutional significance of the ministerial code.
He said Johnson had told Parliament in good faith that he had not broken any rules, because he did not believe he had.
Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “It is very hard to see that he can meet the high level of deliberately misleading Parliament.” “So I think Lord Hennessy, one of the most distinguished living constitutionalists, is wrong on this occasion.”
Peter hennessyA historian and member of the upper house of parliament, said Johnson had become a “great rebel in modern times of decency in public and political life” when he was fined by the police for attending a social gathering. Downing Street While there were restrictions of lockdown.
According to the government’s website, the Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties.
Johnson has been accused by opposition lawmakers of misleading parliament on the matter after he told parliament last year that Downing Street had followed all rules during the pandemic. he will appear in House of Commons on Tuesday to explain why the police fined him.
He has also apologized after becoming the first British leader to break the law while in office. The police are investigating further gatherings and may face further fines.
“I think we are in the most serious constitutional crisis involving a prime minister I can remember,” Hennessy told bbc radioAsking why in public life would anyone follow the rules when the prime minister did not.
“The prime minister has sealed his place in British history as the first law breaker,” he said, adding that he was no longer qualified to serve the Queen or her country.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, a minister in Johnson’s cabinet, said he respected Hennessy but did not think constitutional experts fully understood the constitutional significance of the ministerial code.
He said Johnson had told Parliament in good faith that he had not broken any rules, because he did not believe he had.
Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “It is very hard to see that he can meet the high level of deliberately misleading Parliament.” “So I think Lord Hennessy, one of the most distinguished living constitutionalists, is wrong on this occasion.”