HARWICH and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin has refused to comment after being challenged to quit his Privileges Committee post by former cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.

It came as Conservative MP Virginia Crosbie apologised for attending an event in Parliament while Covid restrictions were still in place in December 2020.

The event came under the spotlight when former Prime Minister Boris Johnson lashed out at the Privileges Committee ahead of its damning report into his conduct, and accused Sir Bernard of “monstrous hypocrisy” for allegedly attending the event with his wife.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, Sir Jacob called for Sir Bernard to quit his position as chairman of the Liaison Committee, made up of the heads of all the Commons' select committees.

Sir Jacob said: 'He cannot hold this post while the questions are unanswered.

“He will not be taken seriously in this role, while people are chortling at him behind their hand, for his own peccadilloes.”

Sir Jacob conceded that Sir Bernard could be “perfectly innocent, with reasons similar to Boris's for not realising it was against the rules, or for, in good faith, having made a mistake”.

Sir Bernard declined to comment.