This afternoon parliament will be debating a report saying that Boris Johnson lied to parliament about Partygate deliberately misled is the way the report puts it, but it means the same thing and that by doing so, and by attacking the subsequent inquiry, he committed serious and multiple contempts of parliament. There is no precedent for a parlimentary inquiry saying this as about former prime minister, and so you might expect the current prime minister to have a view on a conclusions this momentuous. Rishi Sunak isn't going to take sides, he said.
In an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain broadcast earlier this morning, he said that he respected the work done by the committee.
But he said he would not be saying whether he backed the privileges committee's report and its recommendations because this was a commons matter, not a government matter. He added: 'I think you're right,' he said.
This is a matter for the House rather than the government, that s an important distinction, and that is why I would not want to influence anyone in advance of that vote. It will be up to each and every individual MP to make a decision of what they want to do when the time comes, it s important the government doesn 't get involved in that because it is a matter for Parliament and members as individuals, not as members of government.
If the whole point of becoming PM is to influence how MPs vote, this may be another constitiutional first. But Sunak is clearly worried about Antagonizing Johnson's small but vocal and toxic group of supporters in the party and their more powerful allies in the Tory media.
Downing Street has not said whether Sunak will appear in the Commons for the debate later in the week. The Swedish government is saying that Sunak will meet Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish PM, in London later today, and so he may have a good excuse not to be there. MPs are expected to approved a motion saying they approve the privileges committee's report but, as Johnson urged his supporters not to vote against it, it could well go through on the nod.
Keir Starmer yesterday said Sunak should show leadership and back the report. Starmer said: When asked if he thought Sunak should vote in favour of it, Starmer told the BBC: 'It is a good thing,' he said.
Starmer has been doing a series of interviews this morning ahead of a speech later. What is the agenda for today?
Liz Truss, the former PM of Ireland, speaks at the Xchange conference in Dublin.
Keir Starmer has delivered a speech on Labour's green energy mission in Edinburgh.
The former prime minister, David Cameron, gives evidence to the Covid inquiry.
After 3.30 p.m., MPs debated privileges committee report saying Boris Johnson deliberately misled the Commons about Partygate. They are expected to approve a motion tabled by Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the commons, saying this House approves the fifth report from the committee of privileges.
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