Boris Johnson had “bullish” words for journalists as he touched down in India “vowing” to fight on as prime minister until at least the next election, ahead of a House of Commons vote on his handling of the partygate scandal.
Speaking en route to Gujarat, the first stop on the prime minister’s trip before meeting his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi, Johnson “stonewalled” questions about the scandal, reported the Financial Times.
When asked if he would fight the next election, he replied: “Of course, yes.” He told journalists he didn’t “propose to go” as he sought to downplay the significance of the scandal that has put his premiership in peril.
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Back in Westminster, government whips initially “scrambled” on Wednesday evening to “derail” a motion tabled by Labour designed to trigger a Commons inquiry into whether Johnson misled parliament over rule-breaking in Downing Street, reported The Guardian.
After a “growing backlash” from Conservative MPs – including “palpable disquiet” from some frontbenchers at the prospect of voting to block an investigation into the prime minister – the government “privately conceded” it would not be able to whip rebellious Tories. Instead, it planned to table a “wrecking amendment” to delay the inquiry until after the publication of the final partygate report by Sue Gray.
But even this was “dramatically abandoned” with just “minutes to go” before the debate, said The Times.
“The sudden U-turn is a sign of the scale of anger and frustration among Conservative MPs at the Downing Street parties scandal,” added the paper.
Tory MPs will be given a free vote meaning the motion to investigate is likely to pass, but the probe will not begin until after Scotland Yard has completed its inquiry and Gray has published her report.
