Boris Johnson has shown his boredom over repeated questions about his downfall, as he began to fake-snore during a podcast interview.
The clip, from the One Decision podcast, shows interviewer Julia Macfarlane asking the former Prime Minister if he wished he had acted differently over claims against Chris Pincher and Owen Paterson.
He was asked whether “you’d have done anything differently now if you knew how it was going to end”.
Mr Johnson said he would “repeat my basic analysis” on the topic.
He said: “Politics is pretty tough in this country, and that’s good, but – here’s the plus side – if I look at what we achieved it was very considerable.”
Ms Macfarlane pointed out: “That’s not the question I asked.”
Mr Johnson’s clear boredom about the Chris Pincher affair won’t be helped by an imminent report expected at 9am today from Parliament’s top standards body.
Mr Pincher was suspended as deputy chief whip a year ago, over allegations he sexually assaulted two men at the Carlton Club in St James’.
Mr Johnson initially failed to suspend the Tory Party whip from Mr Pincher, then told the press he was “not aware of specific allegations”.
His Downing Street team then told ministers set for broadcast interviews that no complaints had previously been upheld against Mr Pincher, though that was changed a day later to acknowledge the PM was “aware of media reports” about his alleged behaviour.
A day later the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office said it was “not true” that no official complaints were ever made against Mr Pincher, and said as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was briefed about a groping allegation while they worked together at the Foreign Office.
Later that afternoon Downing Street admitted the PM knew about the allegations.
The frustration of senior ministers having to go out and defend a line from Downing Street later to be proved untrue was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and Mr Johnson was forced out of No. 10.
Rishi Sunak now faces a fifth by-election – another likely loss – following this morning’s report.
If the Committee recommends a suspension of over 10 days, his constituents will be entitled to vote in a recall petition.
If the petition is backed by 10 percent of his voters, there will be a by-election.
Sources close to the investigation have told the BBC they expect the day suspension threshold to be met.
Mr Pincher has been under investigation for almost a year, accused of “Actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally”.
Mr Pincher announced his intention to retire from politics at the next election in April, regardless of today’s outcome.
