Ex-British PM John Major calls actions of Johnson's government 'politically corrupt'

Former British Prime Minister John Major on Saturday attacked fellow Conservative Boris Johnson’s handling of a corruption row, saying the government’s behaviour was arrogant, broke the law and was “politically corrupt”.

Johnson was forced to make a U-turn after he abandoned plans pushed through parliament to protect a lawmaker found to have broken lobbying rules.

Major, Britain’s prime minister between 1990-1997, said his party had trashed the reputation of parliament. The former premier, whose own government was accused of sleaze, said he would face a dilemma over whether to vote for Johnson at the next election.

“I think the way the government handled that was shameful, wrong and unworthy of this, or indeed any government,” he said in a BBC interview.

“There’s a general whiff of ‘we are the masters now’ about their behaviour,” he said. “They also behaved badly in other ways that are perhaps politically corrupt.”

A spokesperson for Johnson said paid lobbying was wrong and elected officials must abide by the rules.

The row has raised fresh questions about Johnson’s ethics. He has faced other accusations of wrongdoing, including plans to have party donors secretly contribute to a luxury renovation of his Downing Street flat.

Johnson has said the government followed the rules over the refurbishment.