Boris Johnson ordered to apologise to Parliament for failing to declare earnings

Boris
Johnson
Matt Cardy /
Stringer

• Boris Johnson ordered to apologise after failing to
  declare over £50,000 in earnings to parliament.
• The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards finds that
  the errors were not inadvertent.
• Johnson failed on nine occasions to make declarations
  within the rules.
• The revelation is embarrassing as allies of Johnson
  prepare to back him in a potential leadership challenge against
  Theresa May.

Boris Johnson has been forced to apologise to the House of
Commons after failing to report his full earnings to the House
authorities on nine occasions.

The former Foreign Secretary repeatedly failed to register his
earnings within the time period required under parliamentary
rules, the Commissioner for Standards
found.

“The nine late registrations made by the Member at the time
I began my inquiry had a total value of £52,722.80 which
represents almost seventy per cent of a Member’s salary,” the
Commissioner said in a statement.

They added that the breach of the rules did not appear to
be inadvertent.

“The number of late registrations suggested a lack of
attention to the House’s requirements, rather than inadvertent
error. In light of that, this matter could not be concluded by
way of the rectification procedure,” they said.

They added: “Although Mr Johnson has told me that the late
registrations were ‘inadvertent’, the fact that the late
registrations had happened on four separate occasions and
involved nine payments, suggests a lack of attention to, or
regard for, the House’s requirements rather than oversight or
inadvertent error.”

Johnson told MPs on Thursday that he accepted that he had
broken the rules.

“You will be aware that the Committee on Standards published a
report on nine payments, mainly unexpected foreign royalties I am
very sorry to say were recorded late on the register of members
interests,” Johnson told the Commons.

“I fully accept that the delay was a breach of the House’s rules
and although I am grateful to the committee recognising that
there was no intention to mislead the House and I have been
completely transparent I therefore offer the house a full and
unreserved apology.”

The revelation is highly embarrassing for Johnson as allies
prepare for him to challenge May should there be a vote of no
confidence in her leadership in the coming months.

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