BORIS Johnson should resign if he is fined by the police over the partygate scandal despite the crisis in Ukraine, Sir Ed Davey has said. 

The UK Liberal Democrat leader said the rest of the cabinet could run the country and respond to the Russian invasion without the Prime Minister.

“I’m not changing my opinion at all. We live in a country where no one is above the law. We should be proud of that, and that’s what distinguishes us from Putin’s Russia,” he said.

Speaking on a visit to Scotland ahead of a security briefing at St Andrew’s University, Sir Ed called for tougher UK sanctions against President Vladimir Putin and his cronies.

Sir Ed has previously said Mr Johnson should quit over the scandal of partying in and around Downing Street during the pandemic lockdown.

The Metropolitan Police is currently investigating a dozen incidents, and Mr Johnson has filled out a questionnaire equivalent to an interview under caution about his own conduct.

If found to have breached the rules he imposed on the country, he faces a fixed penalty notice and a potential vote of no confidence if 54 of his MPs demand one.

If he lost, the leadership contest to replace him could last months, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, currently focused on Ukraine, likely to be a candidate.

Asked if he still believed Mr Johnson should resign if fined given political instability in the UK might suit President Putin, Sir Ed said he had not changed his mind.

He said: “Let’s be clear, I believe I was right and the Liberal Democrats were right to call for Boris Johnson to go. He has, in my view, broken the law and has misled parliament.

“I have never felt Boris Johnson was fit for office, never. 

“And all the evidence, both of his time as Prime Minister and his actions over partygate, make me feel he is still not fit for office.

“During this difficult time is it right for him to go if, for example, the Metropolitan Police investigation gives him a fine for breaking the law? Yes of course he should go.

“I absolutely think that Tories MPs need to stand up and be counted. They’re the ones who can make sure that happens, and it is a question for Tory MPs to focus on.

“I’m not changing my opinion at all. We live in a country where no one is above the law. 

“We should be proud of that, and that’s what distinguishes us from Putin’s Russia.”

Asked if there was a risk of paralysis in the UK Government by ousting the PM, Sir Ed said he had the advantage of having been in cabinet during the Coalition of 2010 to 2015.

He said: “It’s quite possible for cabinet ministers to come together to make decisions quickly and decisively. I did that on many cabinet committees with cabinet colleagues. 

“It’s totally possible to do that, and frankly I don’t think he’s being as decisive as he should have been. He’s not sanctioning all of Putin’s cronies in the way he should have done.

“I think he’s been weak on the cost of living crisis, which is being made worse by this. 

“So frankly I don’t see a problem. The UK could manage these problems probably even better without him with cabinet government. That’s my experience.

“It’s quite possible to make difficult decisions about national security.”