Johnson loyalists turn on Tory MPs who called for PM to step down

Boris Johnson speaking during a reception in New Delhi on Friday during his visit to India. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images

Boris Johnson loyalists have hit out at Conservative MPs calling for the prime minister to resign in the wake of an investigation being launched into whether the prime minister lied to parliament.

Conor Burns, a Northern Ireland minister, said there was no question of Johnson resigning over Partygate and the prime minister would “rebuild the bonds of trust with the British people”.