THE Commons Speaker has slapped down Boris Johnson after the Prime Minister faced claims of lying to MPs over Labour’s position on NHS funding.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle initially replied “you might be proved wrong” to Andrew Stephenson, the Transport Minister, told MPs Mr Johnson was “always right”.

Later, Sir Lindsay made a statement to MPs in the light of concerns related to the PM having incorrectly claimed Labour voted against an NHS funding package.

He stressed that MPs “must take responsibility” for correcting the record if they make a mistake in the chamber, adding: “It is not dishonourable to make a mistake but to seek to avoid admitting one is a different matter.”

On Wednesday at PMQs, Mr Johnson clashed with Sir Keir Starmer over proposals for a below-inflation pay rise for NHS workers in England.

The Labour leader said the original funding package had included a 2.1% increase rather than the 1% now recommended by ministers.

Mr Johnson twice claimed Labour voted against the settlement for the NHS. However, the NHS Funding Act was approved without a vote in early 2020.

Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Health Secretary, accused the PM of misleading MPs and later used a social media post to say Mr Johnson had “lied at PMQs”.

Allegra Stratton, Mr Johnson’s Press Secretary, was repeatedly challenged over his comments but indicated he would neither apologise nor correct the record.

In a daily briefing for Westminster journalists, No 10 was asked around 20 questions on the issue and Mr Johnson’s approach to truthfulness.

Sir Lindsay, in his statement, told the Commons: “All members should correct the record if they make an inaccurate statement to the House.

“They can do so by raising a Point of Order or in debate or, in the case of ministers, they can make a statement or issue a written ministerial statement.

“The Government’s own ministerial code could not be clearer about what is expected of ministers. It says: ‘It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.’

“The Speaker cannot be dragged into arguments about whether a statement is inaccurate or not. This is a matter of political debate,” he stressed.

“All members of this House are honourable. They must take responsibility for correcting the record if a mistake has been made. It is not dishonourable to make a mistake, but to seek to avoid admitting one is a different matter.

“I said when I was elected Speaker that we needed to treat each other and the electorate with respect.

“What I have talked about today is an important part of that and I hope all members will act in that spirit,” added Sir Lindsay.

Earlier in Transport Questions, Mr Stephenson was asked by Labour’s Grahame Morris to correct the PM’s previous denial over Transport for the North suffering a 40% budget cut.

The minister replied: “He has been in this House long enough to know that the Prime Minister is always right.”

Sir Lindsay intervened, declaring: “You might be proved wrong.”

Mr Johnson claimed there had been “no such cut” to Transport for the North’s budget when challenged about it last month during PMQs.

Board papers for the transport body, which aims to boost connectivity in the north of England, said core funding from the Government would drop from £10 million in 2020/21 to £6m in 2021/22.

Mr Johnson had been asked by Labour former minister Dame Diana Johnson how the cut fitted with his plan for “levelling up” the North.

In January, Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, also accused the PM of “misleading” MPs by claiming his 200-day-old comments on quarantine measures were recent.