Politicians across Stevenage and North Hertfordshire have been reacting to a "damning" report into Boris Johnson's statements to the House of Commons.

The report, by the cross-party privileges committee, found that Johnson "deliberately misled" the House over breaches of lockdown rules at 10 Downing Street.

Kevin Bonavia, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Stevenage, described the report as "damning" and said that it "shows just how much Boris Johnson was willing to lie about illegal partying that he condoned as prime minister when the rest of us were obeying the strict rules that he imposed during the Covid pandemic."

The committee, which has a majority of Conservative MPs, said that if Mr Johnson had not resigned as an MP, it would have recommended a 90 day suspension from the Commons. A ten day suspension would have been enough to trigger a recall petition and a possible by-election.

The committee also recommended that Johnson should not be entitled to a former member's pass granting him continued access to parliament.

MPs will hold a vote on Monday, June 19 to decide whether or not to accept the committee's recommendations.

Mr Johnson has lambasted the report's findings, which he described as "deranged" and "a lie".

Nadine Dorries, who recently said she would resign as MP for Mid Beds after she was not given a peerage, has stated: "Any Conservative MP who would vote for this report is fundamentally not a Conservative and will be held to account by members and the public.

"Deselections may follow. It’s serious.

"MPs will now have to show this committee what real justice looks like and how it’s done."

We have contacted other local MPs - Bim Afolami, Sir Oliver Heald and Stephen McPartland - for comment, but they have yet to respond.

When Boris Johnson faced a confidence vote among Conservative MPs in June 2022, Bim Afolami said the then-prime minister had his "full support". Mr Afolami then resigned as vice-chairman of the Conservative party live on Talk TV the following month, citing a loss of support for Johnson among the party and country.

Stephen McPartland continually backed Johnson during the partygate furore, and, late last year, suggested that Stevenage residents wanted Johnson to return as Prime Minister.

READ MORE: Nadine Dorries refuses to resign as Mid Beds MP over lack of peerage

Sir Oliver Heald, meanwhile, stated prior to last year's confidence vote that he had lost confidence in Johnson's leadership.

Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians across North Hertfordshire have been commenting on the findings of the report.

Mr Bonavia, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Stevenage, said: "For years most of us, including many people who have voted for him, have known that Boris Johnson and the truth aren't exactly good friends.

"We can only hope that his lies will never harm our country again.

"Yet many of those who enabled and supported him are still running this Conservative government.

"Rishi Sunak has even agreed to give honours to many of Boris Johnson's cronies.

"And we are all paying for the cost of the extortionate contracts that Conservative ministers gave to their friends during the Covid pandemic.

"The public's verdict will be at the next general election which can't come soon enough."

Cllr Sam Collins, who was the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hitchin & Harpenden at the last general election, said: “This report is completely unprecedented, and frankly outrageous.

"Never before has a former British prime minister been found to have lied to parliament and treated the public with such contempt.

"Let's not forget that at least one of the parties under discussion here was also attended by the current prime minister, who also told the House he didn’t attend any parties.

“Bim Afolami needs to examine his conscience and openly confirm that he will vote to censure Boris Johnson.

"Anything less would be an insult to bereaved families in Hitchin and right across our area who grieved alone while Boris Johnson lied and partied.

"It’s time that Conservative MPs and councillors stopped fighting among themselves and focused on tackling the problems facing the country, from the NHS crisis to the cost of living.”

Cllr Alistair Willoughby, chair of North East Herts Labour party, said: 

"It is no surprise that Boris Johnson misled parliament and our country, and has undermined democracratic processes.

"That this report is so damning of his behaviour is welcome, but the damage is very much done.

"Now that Boris Johnson has resigned, he can be relegated to the past, but the acceptability of corruption, lies, and manipulation that he brought to this government has continued on with his successors and should be challenged.

"The prime minister is still trying to censor the release of Covid Inquiry documents, including evidence from Johnson's tenure as PM.

"It is clear that ending Johnson's career has not fixed these issues, we need a general election and a new government to do that."