Tory MPs free to decide Boris Johnson’s Partygate fate, says Rishi Sunak

PM says it ‘wouldn’t be right’ for No 10 to interfere in any punishment given to predecessor

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson (Getty/EPA)

Rishi Sunak has committed to giving Tory MPs the freedom to decide Boris Johnson’s fate ahead of his live TV grilling on whether he lied over Partygate.

The prime minister suggested on Monday he would not use the Tory whip to exert pressure on his colleagues to go easy on his predecessor as he faces a possible suspension.

Mr Johnson is scheduled to appear before the cross-party privilege committee next week so he can be questioned over whether he deliberately misled parliament about parties at No 10.