Boris Johnson used the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow to reassure the world that the UK is not a corrupt country.
Attempting to draw a line under the politically toxic row over standards at Westminster, the prime minister told a news conference that the “most important thing is that those who break the rules must be investigated and should be punished.”
His warning came as the former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox said he did not believe he had breached rules which ban MPs from using their parliamentary offices for outside business.
A video released by the BBC shortly afterwards, however, appears to contradict that.
Johnson, who has seen the Tories’ poll ratings fall after the row over standards erupted last week, said he was not going to comment on individual cases, insisting “the UK is not remotely a corrupt country”.
However, he said that while in the past MPs doing second jobs such as doctors, lawyers or soldiers had strengthened democracy, it was essential they put their constituents first if that was to continue.
“If that system is going to continue today, then it is crucial that MPs follow the rules,” he said.
The reaction to the press conference has been fierce, with Angela Rayner saying the prime minister’s lack of contrition showed he did not care about the “corruption” engulfing his party and his Government.
“Instead of taking responsibility the Prime Minister is taking the mickey out of the British people and won’t clean up his mess,” she said.
“He thinks it’s one rule for him and another rule for everyone else.”
Here’s what people had to say elsewhere:
Related: 90 Conservative MPs have second jobs – compared to 3 Labour MPs
