Boris Johnson partygate probe: Prime Minister says parliament investigation should wait

Boris Johnson insisted he welcomed scrutiny of his conduct but defended his Government's effort to delay any parliamentary investigation into claims he lied to MPs about the partygate scandal.

The Prime Minister said MPs should have the "full facts" before deciding whether a Commons committee should look into allegation that he misled the House with his denials about Downing Street parties during the coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Johnson denied misleading MPs but said the Commons should wait for the conclusion of the police investigation and the publication of senior official Sue Gray's report into the parties before deciding whether the Privileges Committee should launch an inquiry.

The Prime Minister will miss the Commons vote on a Labour-led motion calling for the Privileges Committee investigation because he is on an official visit to India.

Tory MPs have been ordered to back a Government amendment which would defer any decision on referring the matter to the committee until after the conclusion of the Met Police inquiry.

Asked on whether he knowingly or unknowingly misled Parliament, Mr Johnson said: "Of course not."

He told reporters: "I'm very keen for every possible form of scrutiny and the House of Commons can do whatever it wants to do.

"But all I would say is I don't think that should happen until the investigation is completed."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to workers at the new JCB Factory in Vadodara, Gujarat, during his two day trip to India.

A Labour source said any Conservative supporting the Government 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.

The Prime Minister has resisted calls to resign from opposition MPs and a handful of Tory rebels, and says that "of course" he would fight the next general election.

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.

Asked if he thought partygate did not matter to the public, he said: "You're better off talking about things other than politicians themselves, is my view."