There is “no question” of Boris Johnson being forced to quit over the partygate scandal, a minister has insisted.
Northern Ireland minister Conor Burns said the affair was “the most looked at event, possibly, since the Second World War”.
His comments came after MPs decided to launch a privileges committee inquiry into claims the prime minister misled parliament by insisting lockdown rules were followed in Downing Street at all times.
It is thought to be the first time a sitting prime minister has faced such an investigation.
The move came after the government performed a U-turn by ditching a bid to kick a decision on the inquiry into the long grass.
On a day of high drama in parliament, senior backbencher Steve Baker became the latest Tory MP to call on Johnson to quit, telling him “the gig is up”.
But this morning Burns told Sky News: “There’s no question of the Prime Minister going.”
He said the prime minister - who is currently on an official visit to India - was “looking forward” to the Commons probe so he could finally clear his name.
He said: “We’re going to have multiple opportunities for the prime minister’s word to be tested. We’ve got the Met investigation ongoing, we’ve committed that when that’s finished Sue Gray will complete her report, the prime minister will come back to parliament, and we’ve now got the privileges committee investigation.
“This is going to be the most looked at event, possibly, since the Second World War.”
The minister added: “The prime minister said from India he has nothing to fear, nothing to hide, he looks forward to that process. He looks forward to the full facts and, crucially, the context coming out.”
On Radio 4′s Today programme, Burns said many of Johnson’s critics had never liked him.
“There are a number of colleagues across Parliament who have never really supported the Prime Minister,” he said.
“If the Prime Minister stepped off Westminster Bridge and walked on top of the water they would say he couldn’t swim. That is a fact.
“The reality is that it is is only two years ago since we won a majority of 80 seats, the biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1987.
“What the Prime Minister is saying is ‘I led you to that victory, I have got business I want to do’.
“What he has also said is that the events in Downing Street and the fine has actually redoubled his determination to rebuild the bonds of trust with the British people.”
In a bad-tempered interview with Sky News yesterday, Johnson insisted he had “nothing, frankly, to hide” from the inquiry.
Pushed on whether the current situation he finds himself in was serious, the PM replied: “Of course, I think it is serious.
“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.”