Boris Johnson has claimed he has “absolutely nothing to hide” on Partygate and dismissed scrutiny of his Covid rule-breaking as “not very useful”.
The Prime Minister became tetchy with journalists as the scandal threatened to completely derail his long-delayed visit to India.
In a bad-tempered interview with Sky News, Mr Johnson repeatedly said he wanted to talk about the trip rather than questions about whether he lied to Parliament about No10 parties.
Tory ministers abandoned efforts to try to kick a vote into the long grass on the issue in an extraordinary U-turn.
Mr Johnson said: “People were saying it looks like we are trying to stop stuff. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want people to be able to say that.
“I don’t want this thing to endlessly go on. But, I have absolutely nothing, frankly, to hide.”
He rejected a call from Tory backbench ringleader Steve Baker to resign - and said “of course I am” going to lead the Tories into the next election.
Asked if he thinks the situation is serious, he said: “Of course, I think it is serious. But I also think we have massive issues that people expect us to address. I think people want us to get on with the job of taking the country forward.”
In a fiery clash, Mr Johnson told interviewer Beth Rigby to “get onto the subject of the trip” after she pressed him repeatedly on whether he would receive more Partygate fines.
In another interview at the Akshardham Temple in Ahmedabad, Gujurat, the PM tried to kick the can down the road by promising a “fuller account" of his actions once the police investigation is over and the Gray report is published.
He told the BBC : "But until then, I have to say, I think a lot of this is not very useful. There's not a lot more I can say and what I want to do is focus on the things that I think are a massive long-term benefit to this country."
Tory MPs will get a free vote on whether to investigate claims Boris Johnson lied to Parliament after a chaotic U-turn.
Labour ’s leader said the principle of telling the truth was “under attack”, telling Parliament: “The Prime Minister has been accused of repeatedly, deliberately and routinely misleading this House over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown.
“Now that’s a serious allegation because if it’s true, it amounts to contempt of Parliament. And it’s not, and it should never be, an accusation that is made lightly.”
In a devastating speech, Tory MP William Wragg - who has called for Boris Johnson to quit - condemned the "toxic" atmosphere under his leadership.
He said: “The invasion of a sovereign nation by a dictatorial aggressor should not be a reason why we should accept lower standards ourselves”.
Mr Wragg said "it is utterly depressing, defending the indefensible", before adding "each time, a part of us withers".
Tory MP Steve Baker told the PM "the gig is up".
And SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is a liar. I genuinely don’t say that lightly and I don’t say it loosely.”
He added: "We were all misled deliberately because the Prime Minister knew the truth… He lied to avoid getting caught and once he got caught, he lied again. There is no other way to describe it.”
