Tory civil war has erupted last night as brazen allies of Boris Johnson stepped up their attacks on the "spiteful" Privileges Committee.
Top Johnson cheerleader Nadine Dorries said Tory MPs who endorse the report in a showdown vote on Monday should face deselection as other critics vowed to rebel.
The ex-Culture Secretary, who announced she was quitting as an MP after being denied a peerage, shamelessly questioned whether the four Tories on the committee would "find themselves on chicken runs into safe seats" or be awarded "gongs".
Mr Johnson himself branded the findings "tripe" and "deranged" in a lengthy rant.
Ex-Cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke, who was knighted in Mr Johnson's resignation honours last week, said: "This punishment is absolutely extraordinary to the point of sheer vindictiveness."
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, another recently ennobled crony of the ex-PM, said: "This sort of report has no long-term effect on people's political careers. He can come back - if he comes back this report is ineffective."
Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: "I am appalled at what I have read and the spiteful, vindictive and overreaching conclusions of the report.
"I won't be supporting the recommendations and will be speaking against them both publicly and in the House on Monday. I'm backing fairness and justice - not kangaroo courts."
He warned it was "certainly not the end" for Mr Johnson.
Liz Truss, the 49-day PM who succeeded Mr Johnson in No10, also told GB News last night she wanted Mr Johnson to "stay and fight for his vision" in the Conservative Party.
She added: "Never, ever, ever write Boris off, that is something I think is very clear.
"And I'm sure we will hear more from him and he's done a huge amount."
Sir James Duddridge, another Johnson ally, joked the committee might as well “put Boris in the stocks” and “throw rotten food at him, moving him around the marginals so the country could share in the humiliation”.
It comes despite a warning from the Privileges Committee that it would publish a special report on the intimidation campaign waged against it by Mr Johnson's allies.
Rishi Sunak has been branded “weak” after Downing Street suggested he could dodge a Commons vote on the Boris Johnson report.
MPs will decide on Monday whether to endorse the findings of the Privileges Committee that the former PM deliberately misled Parliament over Partygate.
The Commons will vote on whether to accept its recommendation that Mr Johnson be banned from holding a parliamentary pass usually given to former MPs.
The Tories have designated it as a free vote meaning the party’s backbenchers can decide themselves whether to vote for or against, or choose to stay away altogether.
No10 last night refused to say if Mr Sunak himself with take part - prompting speculation he could plan a visit away from London to avoid having to pick a side.
Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: “We will set out the PM’s movements for next week nearer the time.”
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “Rather than face up to reality, Rishi Sunak looks set to do a disappearing act to avoid making a decision on his disgraced predecessor.
“This weak Prime Minister is once again showing he doesn’t have the guts to stand up to Boris Johnson.
"While the Tories descend into civil war, Rishi Sunak is showing he can’t get a grip of his Party or show the leadership our country needs.
“It’s time to turn the page on this clapped-out Tory Government with a fresh start for Britain and a Labour Government.”
It will be a tricky balancing act for Mr Sunak, who will want to avoid riling Mr Johnson's supporters among the Tory grassroots.
But Mr Johnson is less popular with the wider public according to a snap YouGov poll of more than 3,000 adults, which found nearly seven in 10 voters believe Mr Johnson knowingly misled Parliament.
The Commons vote will be held on Mr Johnson's 59th birthday - three years on from his infamous lockdown birthday do, which led to him being fined by the Metropolitan Police.
If Tory MPs give their backing to the report it would make the prospect of a political comeback even less likely for Mr Johnson.
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