Parliament mustn’t waste time debating Johnson report when families facing mortgage crisis

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government not to waste parliamentary time on Monday with a long debate on the Privileges Committee report on Boris Johnson, but to pass emergency support for families struggling with soaring mortgage rates.

Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt has announced that the motion on Johnson will be debated on Monday for up to six and a half hours. However, the Liberal Democrats argue that the report “speaks for itself” and should be approved without a debate, as was done with Margaret Ferrier’s suspension last week.

The Liberal Democrats argue the Government should instead bring forward urgent legislation on Monday to pass a package of emergency support for mortgage-holders and renters, as interest rates continue to soar.

The party is calling for a “Mortgage Protection Fund” to protect families falling into arrears or facing repossession as a result of soaring interest rates, as well as protections for renters including a national register of landlords and the temporary reintroduction of pandemic-era measures protecting renters from evictions over rent-arrears and extending the mandatory notice period given by landlords.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“The Conservatives are consumed with sleaze and infighting and are doing nothing to help families who are being overwhelmed by soaring mortgage costs.

“The country is in a cost-of-living emergency. For the Conservatives to devote a whole day to debating this report shows they are even more out-of-touch than we thought.”

“We don’t need six hours of debate to determine whether Boris Johnson is a liar. Everyone knows he is, and the committee’s report speaks for itself.”

ENDS