DEVIZES MP Danny Kruger launched a staunch defence of Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon (Thursday, April 21). 

Speaking ahead of a vote on a motion which seeks to refer Mr Johnson's conduct to the Privileges Committee, Mr Kruger said he did not believe the Prime Minister had lied to the House of Commons. 

Knowingly misleading Parliament is a resigning offence under the Ministerial Code. 

"I want to speak in defence of the Prime Minister", he said, "because somebody has to". 

Mr Kruger said: "I acknowledge in all seriousness how big a mistake he [Mr Johnson] made. Of course he should apologise for it, and take responsibility  and accept the verdict of the police, whether he was surprised by that verdict or not. 

"If he lied to this house of course he should resign. But he didn't. Patently he didn't. Patently he didn't break the law deliberately, and so patently he didn't deliberately mislead this house any more than the leader of the opposition [Sir Keir Starmer] deliberately mislead the house when he said that the Prime Minister had slandered the BBC. 

"And I welcome his sort of apology that he made earlier and we can now all move on from that mistake and remember that only those who are without sin should be cast in stones". 

He went on to say that he does not minimise the importance of the "scandal", and said that many people have written to him in outrage, adding: "Many are just the usual haters who have always despised the Prime Minister, but many are respectable Conservative voters who just want a steady, respectable government". 

"I think particularly of my councillors and party members in Devizes who have written to me in despair at what the Prime Minster has done", he said. 

"They are right to want a decent, steady, responsbile government. We don't have to have a soap opera in Downing Street. 

"But we do need a government and a Prime Minister who can see the big picture and make the big calls. One who doesn't always play for safety. One who doesn't always do the conventional thing that the officials suggest. One that doesn't always think: 'What would John Major do?'.

He finished with what he described as "a word about the character of the Prime Minister", who he said he has known for "a little, for many years". 

The MP, elected in 2019 and a former political secretary to Mr Johnson, praised the PM for his work in agreeing a Brexit deal with the European Union, which he doesn't believe any other leader could have achieved.

He said: "That doesn't justify lying to this house, but I dont believe he did lie. 

"I follow him in spite of everything. In spite of him accepting a slice of birthday cake when he shouldn't have. In spite of overseeing a Number 10 operation that let the country down.

"In spite of some policies that I am unhappy with. I support him because he was annointed by the people in 2019 to deliver a great mission. To unite and level up the country, and because he can make the big calls that are needed at this time".