Boris Johnson facing leadership criticism amid partygate scandal

Boris Johnson facing leadership criticism amid partygate scandal

Boris Johnson has been deflecting questions about his leadership, adding that he will still be prime minister in October despite calls for his resignation.

He is currently facing a Commons investigation after allegations that he mislead the house by telling MPs that he followed lockdown laws at Downing Street.

However, a senior Tory MP has said it is a matter of ‘when and not if’ the PM faces a vote of no confidence.

Minister Connor Burns has insisted that Mr Johnson will not be stepping down, saying that he had ‘unfinished business’ and that he needed to rebuild trust with the public.

Speaking duing a trip to India, the PM deflected questions about his leadership and his future, returning to his rehtoric that he wants to ‘get on with the job’.

Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, chair of the Defence Committee Tobias Ellwood said Conservative MPs were “deeply troubled” and warned that the ongoing row about lockdown parties was doing “long-term damage to the party’s brand”.

He accused No 10 of lacking “discipline, focus and leadership” and predicted the prime minister would face a vote of no confidence, which could force him out of office.

On Thursday, No 10 had tried to delay a vote on launching the inquiry by the Privileges Committee, but U-turned at the last minute meaning Labour’s proposal for the investigation passed unopposed.

After the debate in the House of Commons, MPs have asked the Privileges Committee to investigate whether Mr Johnson deliberately misled Parliament.

If the committee finds Mr Johnson guilty, they can recommend a sanction which could include a suspension or expulsion from Parliament entirely.

MPs will then decide whether or not to approve the report and implement the recommended sanctions.