Downing Street has finally confirmed to journalists that the Prime Minister will miss today’s vote on the Privileges Committee report into Boris Johnson.
The news was long-awaited and speculated on since the report was published, given the tricky spot it put the Prime Minister in.
Backing the report would split his party and anger the Tory membership; opposing it would lead to criticism by Labour and much of the media.
At today’s press briefing, Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: “His schedule does not involve attending parliament”.
Mr Sunak is expected to meet with the Swedish Prime Minister later today.
It was previously speculated he might use a meeting with a world leader to dodge the vote.
The spokesman also claimed the PM “doesn’t feel it’s right to express an opinion ahead of any vote, or influence MPs”.
The motion is not expected to go to a vote given almost no MPs are expected to oppose it.
Mr Johnson called his troops off from opposing the bill last week, with a source telling the Express the “vote is meaningless as it has no practical effect”.
If no Tories shout no when the vote is called, it will merely be ‘nodded through’.
According to The Huffington Post, the debate is ‘filling up’ with anti-Boris MPs and could last up to four hours – concluding around 9pm.
