Ashby MP Andrew Bridgen backed the findings of a report which ruled that disgraced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament over lockdown parties at Number 10.

Mr Bridgen said the behaviour in Downing Street during the pandemic was like something from 'Love Island'.

A cross-party committee looking into his conduct said Mr Johnson had committed repeated offences when he said lockdown rules had been followed at all times at 10 Downing Street. MPs were asked last night if they backed the findings and recommendations set out in the report.

Mr Johnson would have been suspended for 90 days had he not resigned on Friday, June 9, the second longest sanction in the last 74 years, according to political website Guido Fawkes. Only former Leicester East MP Keith Vaz has been handed a longer term in that time. Mr Vaz was suspended for six months in 2019 for offering to buy drugs for sex workers.

The House of Commons voted overwhelming in support of that report, with just seven MPs standing against it. Some 354 members endorsed the findings – including seven local representatives – while 225 either abstained or did not turn up to vote.

Mr Bridgen, who was recently kicked out of the Conservative party and now represents Reclaim, was the only Leicestershire MP to speak in last night's (Monday) debate.

The North West Leicestershire MP said: "The behaviour in Downing Street bore a closer resemblance to the set of 'Love Island' than to a collection of our country's top minds and high performers working tirelessly to steer us through dangerous waters.

Boris Johnson supported Andrew Bridgen in Ashby during the 2016 Brexit Referendum. Photo: Andrew Bridgen

"This was at the same time as they went further than any other British Government have gone before them to take more and more powers under the wing of the state.

"The consensus still about the lockdowns is that they were sensible, practical and acceptable for the public.

"The only discussion ever allowed in this place was how long the lockdowns should be.

"But lockdowns and restrictions were not for anybody at No. 10; they were only for the little people."

Mr Bridgen posted on Sunday that he had turned down invites to 'two drinks parties' at Downing Street in December 2021.

Three Leicestershire Conservative MPs declined to vote in the debate over Boris Johnson's conduct.

Neil O'Brien, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, Alberto Costa, who represents South Leicestershire and Loughborough MP Jane Hunt did not vote last night.

Mr Costa was a member of the committee which produced the report. All three MPs have been approached for comment.

Jane Hunt told BBC Radio Leicester last week that she "loves" Boris Johnson.

Conservative MPs Alicia Kearns, for Rutland and Melton, Ed Argar for Charnwood and Dr Luke Evans for Bosworth supported the findings, as did Labour's Liz Kendall, Leicester West, and Jon Ashworth, Leicester South. Independent MP Claudia Webbe, Leicester East - along with Andrew Bridgen - also voted in its favour.

Ms Kearns made a statement on Facebook yesterday about her voting intentions. She said: "I will support the Committee of Privileges in its findings that Boris Johnson misled the House and was therefore in contempt of Parliament. As a House we unanimously agreed to establish the committee, including its membership."

"It is vital the public has confidence in the integrity of Parliament and our ability to regulate, and uphold, the standards of the House," she added. "This has been undermined by the behaviours of some MPs over the past few months. The attacks on those serving on the committee on behalf of the House are wrong and frankly shameful. Their language risks undermining the processes that hold Parliamentarians to account."

She concluded: "I believe Parliamentarians have a duty and responsibility to vote. I will vote to uphold the standards of the House and to respect the integrity of the processes in place to regulate Parliament." The total number of Conservatives who voted against their former leader was 118. These included Commons leader Penny Mourdaunt, former PM Theresa May, education secretary Gillian Keegan, and former health secretary Matt Hancock. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak did not attend the debate.