Agenda item

To consider, in accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 1.1-H, the following Notice of Motion to be moved by Councillor Jones and seconded by Councillor Lamb.

The Full Council considered the Notice of Motion – Motion to Restore

Decency In Public Life – as set out on page 21 of the agenda.

The Motion was moved and presented by Councillor Jones and in doing so gave further explanation of the reasoning behind the Motion.

Councillor Lamb seconded the Motion and also moved a Procedural Motion 11.1 m), That the item/issue now be voted upon – (specifically immediately ending the debate on the Notice of Motion and hold the vote on the Motion), which was seconded by Councillor Lunnon.

The Mayor ruled that the moved Procedural Motion m) was valid and thus called for the vote on the Procedural Motion. A recorded vote was requested and the Mayor invited the Democracy and Data Manager to commence the recorded voting process.

For:

Ayling, Buck, Hart, Irvine, Jhans, Jones, K Khan, Y Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, Malik,

C Mullins, S Mullins, Nawaz, Noyce, Pritchard, Raja, Rana and Sivarajah (19)

Against:

Ali, A Belben, Bounds, Burrett, Crow, Jaggard, and Lanzer. (7)

Abstentions: (0)

RESOLVED

That the item/issue now be voted upon – (specifically immediately ending the debate on the Notice of Motion and then hold the vote on the Motion).

The Mayor called for the vote on the Notice of Motion – Motion to Restore

Decency In Public Life. A recorded vote was requested and the Mayor invited the Democracy and Data Manager to commence the recorded voting process.

For:

Ayling, Buck, Hart, Irvine, Jhans, Jones, K Khan, Y Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, Malik,

C Mullins, S Mullins, Nawaz, Noyce, Pritchard, Raja, Rana and Sivarajah (19)

Against:  (0)

Abstentions: (0)

RESOLVED

This Council notes:

That within the United Kingdom, every elected representative, from the Prime Minister to a parish councillor, is expected to honour the Seven Principles of Public Life: principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

That Boris Johnson at numerous points during his term as Prime Minister has failed to meet all seven of these fundamental principles.

That he was shown to have misled the Queen in seeking the unlawful prorogation of Parliament.

That he has enabled ministers to remain in office despite breaches of the ministerial code, leading to the resignation of his first Ethics Advisor.

That during his administration, the Government has faced repeated accusations of cronyism, from the awarding of contracts and peerages to Conservative donors and close associates, including widely reported abuses of the fast-track procurement process through the pandemic costing taxpayers billions of public money.

That the Electoral Commission found him to have broken electoral law around the refurbishments of his Downing Street flat.

That he enabled ministerial colleagues and advisors to remain in office despite breaking rules designed to stop the spread of a deadly pandemic. Rules which were followed by the people and businesses in Crawley, not only resulting in huge personal sacrifices but greater damage to the town’s economy than that of any other in the country.

That after widespread flouting of these same rules at Downing Street, he has become the first Prime Minister in history to be issued with a penalty by the Police whilst in office.

That following a Conservative MP being found guilty of breaching rules on paid lobbying by PMs, he sought to change the parliamentary standards regime to avoid that MP being suspended.

That he lost the confidence of his second Ethics Advisor after making it clear that his Government would seek to break international law.

That he has now been shown to have promoted Chris Pincher MP to ministerial office while being aware of allegations of sexual assault against him.

That in three years, the current Conservative benches have managed to accrue more numerous and serious scandals than in decades of previous UK administrations.

That the result of the 1922 Committee vote in early June shows that even at that time Boris Johnson had overwhelmingly lost the confidence of Conservative backbenchers, and that the ongoing resignations of senior ministers and advisors evidence that he has now lost the confidence of his closest confidants.

That polls have repeatedly and consistently shown that the British public believe that Boris Johnson needs to resign, with a majority of those who voted for the Conservative Party in 2019 now indicating that they too believe he should go.

That the UK Government now exists in a state of weakness and instability, during a period of international crisis and huge economic and domestic challenges at home. Chaos which continues to grows each day Boris Johnson remains in office.

This Council believes:

That as the only elected body solely representing Crawley, this council has a duty to speak on behalf of the people of the town.

That as a local authority, our ability to carry out our duties is dependent upon the effective operation of UK Government, something which is no longer possible under the leadership of Boris Johnson.

This Council resolves:

To call upon Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.