Boris Johnson had hoped that while he was away in India Tory MPs would back his bid to kick any vote on a Parliamentary probe into whether he misled the Commons over partygate into the long grass.
But, perhaps emboldened by the Prime Minister’s absence, rebellious Conservative MPs forced Mr Johnson and his whips to perform another screeching U-turn. Minutes before the Commons was set to start debating the matter, they pulled an amendment which sought to delay any vote on his conduct until after the Metropolitan Police finished its inquiries and - crucially - the publication of the full report by civil servant Sue Gray.
