Government changes tack and attempts to delay investigation until after the full publication of Sue Gray report
Boris Johnson has been forced to abandon efforts to block an inquiry into whether he misled MPs over Partygate lockdown breaches, instead urging rebellious MPs to delay any investigation.
His allies had earlier briefed that they were prepared to force Tory MPs to vote down the motion from Labour and other opposition parties. But even among frontbenchers there was palpable disquiet that MPs should be forced to block an investigation into the prime minister, who received a police fixed-penalty notice last week.
A privileges committee inquiry could be highly damaging even if Johnson is ultimately not formally censured. It would include the right to demand more than 300 photographs believed to have been collated by the original inquiry into rule-breaking by Gray, which have been passed to the Metropolitan police.
The motion also says the inquiry should begin after the conclusion of the Met investigation, with Johnson expected to receive at least three more fines for breaches in the coming weeks. Some had urged Johnson to get ahead of Starmer’s ploy by referring himself to the privileges committee to dispel suggestions of another cover up. “If you can’t escape it, you might as well get on the front foot,” said one. Government sources said that option had been rejected.
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