PM says MPs need 'full facts' before voting on referral for inquiry by Privileges Committee

Boris Johnson has said MPs need the "full facts" before deciding if he should be referred for a standards probe as he committed to a future vote on whether the Privileges Committee should investigate him.

The prime minister, on a visit to India, said he is "very keen for every possible form of scrutiny" around his conduct during the pandemic, but said "I don't think that should happen until the [police] investigation is completed".

MPs are today voting on a Labour motion on whether the PM should be investigated by the Privileges Committee but the government has tabled an amendment which will delay any decision until the criminal inquiry concludes.

The Privileges Committee would determine whether Mr Johnson broke the ministerial code by insisting to MPs that he obeyed all coronavirus rules throughout the pandemic.

Asked on the first day of his trade mission to India whether he knowningly or unknowingly misled Parliament, Mr Johnson said: "Of course not".

Speaking ahead of Thursday's Commons vote, the PM said: "They (MPs) must do whatever they want. That is their prerogative."

But he said "what people should have is the full facts" before deciding.

Delaying the decision on a probe, rather than rejecting the possibility of one entirely - as the Tory majority has the power to do - is a gamble for the government as it is not yet clear how the outlook could worsen for the PM in the coming weeks.

Many believe he is likely to receive more fines over the partygate scandal and Sue Gray's report into Downing Street parties is expected to be damning.

Mr Johnson wants MPs to wait and see what happens with both before triggering a fresh investigation into his conduct and by that time Tory MPs may have decided Ms Gray's report and police fines make that necessary.

If the committee decides the PM did lie to Parliament and broke the ministerial code in doing so, it would be much harder for Mr Johnson to cling onto power because the code says anyone who knowingly misleads the House should resign.

The PM tried to avoid discussing partygate on the flight to Gujarat in India on Wednesday, as he vowed to fight the next election no matter how many times he is fined for breaching Covid laws.

But former Conservative minister Andrew Mitchell suggested on Wednesday evening that the PM could be referred to the Privileges Committee without a vote.

He told ITV’s Peston programme: “I don’t think there will be a vote tomorrow. I think the House of Commons will agree to refer it to the Privileges Committee.

“I shan’t be there – quite a lot of my colleagues are heading off either tonight or tomorrow morning to their constituency. We expect this matter to be referred to the Privileges Committee, and I think the Government will go along with it.

“After all, if you look down the years, references to the Privileges Committee have normally gone through on the nod.”

A Labour source claimed that any Conservative supporting the amendment would be “voting for a cover up”.

Tories were facing pressure to back the opposition bid for a parliamentary investigation after Mr Johnson was fined by police over a birthday event in 2020.

Asked on the plane to Gujarat whether he would fight the next general election, the Prime Minister replied: “Of course.”

Pressed on whether there were no circumstances under which he would consider resigning, Mr Johnson told journalists travelling with him: “Not a lot that spring to mind at the moment.

“But if you want to sketch some out I’m sure you could entertain your viewers with some imaginary circumstances in which I might have to resign, but I don’t propose to go into them, I can’t think of them right now.”

What you need to know - Listen to the latest episode

Mr Johnson’s aides are braced for him to receive multiple fines, having already been handed one fixed-penalty notice for the gathering on his 56th birthday.

He is thought to have been at six of the 12 events under investigation by Scotland Yard.

Mr Johnson continued: “Politics has taught me one thing which is you’re better off talking and focusing on the things that matter, the things that make a real difference to the electorate and not about politicians themselves.”

Asked if that meant partygate did not matter to the public, he said: “You’re better off talking about things other than politicians themselves, is my view.”

When MPs vote on Thursday, Conservatives will be urged to back the Government’s amendment to delay making a decision on whether to launch a Commons inquiry until all other investigations finish.

Mr Johnson sought to justify the position, which comes after Tory MP Craig Whittaker called for him to refer himself to an investigation to end the saga.

Asked why he would not submit himself to an inquiry if he had nothing to hide, Mr Johnson said: “I think the best thing is if the investigation is concluded. There’s a police investigation that has not concluded. We have to wait for that and then for Sue Gray to have her final say.”

Pressed if he would back an inquiry after that point, he said: “I think we need to wait and see where it gets.”

A government spokesperson said: “The Government has tabled an amendment to Labour’s motion which says that consideration of this matter should take place after the conclusion of the police investigation, and the publication of the Cabinet Office report, allowing MPs to have all the facts at their disposal.”