One of Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet ministers has been mocked after he insisted Boris Johnson is “absolutely 100%” a man of integrity.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he "does not believe for one second" the shamed ex-PM knowingly misled Parliament over Partygate.
Critics branded his comments "completely inappropriate" while a major Parliamentary probe is ongoing into whether Mr Johnson lied to MPs about what he knew about the scandal.
Labour's Jonathan Ashworth added: "We've seen the photos".
The Commons Privileges Committee released an explosive report on Friday - with new pictures of the lockdown-flouting bashes.
The MPs said they had seen evidence that "strongly suggests" rule breaches would have been "obvious" to Mr Johnson - particularly as he was at some of the gatherings himself.
And WhatsApps published by the committee show No10 officials were worried about possible leaks of images showing Mr Johnson at a “piss up” - months before the Mirror first broke the story of pandemic parties in No10 and Whitehall.
Mr Johnson brazenly claimed he had been "vindicated" by the report - and tried to suggest he was the victim of a stitch-up as Partygate investigator Sue Gray is poised to take a top job with Keir Starmer.
Today Mr Heaton-Harris, who served as Mr Johnson's Chief Whip, claimed his old boss was “honest” and "100%" a man of integrity,
He told Sky News' Ridge on Sunday: "I do not believe for one second Boris knowingly misled Parliament.
"I don't think he will be found to have misled Parliament. In this country, you're innocent until you're proven guilty.
"I'm absolutely convinced Boris did not knowingly mislead Parliament."
His comments stray from the Government's refusal to comment while the inquiry is ongoing.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “We've seen the photos, they're not photoshopped.
"Boris Johnson is there breaking the rules when he put the country into lockdown."
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who is a members of the Privileges Committee but recused himself from the inquiry, said: "I don’t quite understand why [Heaton-Harris] says he’s so certain that Johnson is innocent.
"He was the chief whip who agreed Tory MPs wouldn’t stop the reference of Johnson to the committee of Privileges. Shouldn’t we just let them follow the evidence and quiz Johnson?"
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain said: “Conservative politicians have consistently hid behind the line that it would be ‘inappropriate to speculate’ on the findings of the privileges committee before their inquiry into Johnson is complete.
“The committee is still weeks away from the start of Boris’ evidence hearings, surely that makes it completely inappropriate for Chris Heaton-Harris to assert Boris Johnson’s innocence live on TV like he did this morning?
“Boris is doing his utmost to publicly discredit this inquiry and wriggle out of answering the tough questions posed to him, he does not need Heaton-Harris’s help."
She called on the Tories to support the investigation rather than "making premature judgements".
Some Conservatives have already expressed outrage at the conduct of Mr Johnson and allies.
One told the Observer: “They have gone full Trump. It is wicked. Where will this end? They are desperate.”
