PRIME Minister Boris Johnson was branded a “tinpot dictator” by Slough’s MP Tan Dhesi following the Owen Patterson scandal.

The government was forced to U-turn an amendment to not suspend the now resigned North Shropshire MP Owen Patterson, who was found guilty of an “egregious” case of paid lobbying, following public outcry and accusations of corruption.

A debate was held in the House of Commons on Monday, November 8, which the Prime Minister and 50 of his Tory colleagues skipped.

Angry opposition MPs compared Mr Johnson to Russian president Vladimir Putin, describing this kind of behaviour “you expect to see in Moscow” and that the “rules don’t apply to him.”

READ MORE: Windsor MP Adam Afriyie could see bankruptcy action

During the debate, Mr Dhesi said the Prime Minister is a ‘tinpot dictator who himself is now mired in sleaze’.

But the speaker of the house, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, interrupted the Slough MP, saying: “We just said we want to show the House at its best.

“Tinpot dictator, aimed at an individual, I don’t think is going to bring unity. I want to see us at our best that shows that we take this seriously.”

Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “Leadership is about taking responsibility, and if there is an apology to be made, that apology should come from the top, just as the direction came from the top last week to engage in this business in the first place.

READ MORE: Slough covid: one year since severe restrictions implemented

“Last week the prime minister damaged himself, he damaged his party, and he damaged our democracy. He led his party through the sewers and the stench lingers.

“This week he had the chance to clean up, to apologise to the country and finally accept that the rules apply to him and his friends.

“But instead of stepping up he has hidden away. Instead of clearing up his mess he has left his side knee-deep in it. Instead of leading from the front, he has cowered away.”