THE PRIME Minister is to face a parliamentary probe into claims he misled the Commons when he said no rules were broken during lockdown.

Labour's motion to refer Mr Johnson's comments was passed without a vote this evening, after receiving no objections.

The Government had initially sought to table its own amendment, however it risked losing and decided to withdrawn, and give its own MPs a free vote. 

The decision means MPs on the Privileges Committee will investigate whether Mr Johnson is in contempt of Parliament for misleading the Commons with his repeated denials of lockdown-busting parties in No 10.

The probe will only begin after Scotland Yard has completed its own inquiry into alleged coronavirus law breaches at the heart of Government.

Speaking before the result was confirmed, Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis told the Commons the Prime Minister “has always been clear that he is happy to face whatever inquiries Parliament sees fit”.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said MPs were having to resort to establishing a parliamentary investigation “because the Prime Minister has failed to do the decent thing and resign”.

Mr Johnson, who missed the motion debate and decision because he is on an official visit to India, has already been fined once by Metropolitan Police for attending his own birthday celebration in June 2020, with his officials braced for more fixed-penalty notices to land.

He is thought to have been at six of the 12 possible rule-breaking events being considered by Operation Hillman officers.

Conservative MPs used the afternoon debate on the PM’s truthfulness to express their disgruntlement at his handling of the allegations, with more coming forward with calls for him to resign.

The motion laid before MPs said that Mr Johnson’s comments “including but not limited to” four separate remarks in the Commons “appear to amount to misleading the House”.

The Prime Minister had, speaking from the despatch box, previously said that all Covid rules were followed in Downing Street.

As well as the police and parliamentary investigation, there has already been a review carried out of the partygate allegations by senior civil servant Sue Gray, who is waiting to publish her full findings.

In a blow to the Prime Minister, former minister Steve Baker, an influential mobiliser on the backbenches, told MPs the Prime Minister “should be long gone”.

Mr Baker, who was a prominent Brexiteer involved in ousting Theresa May, said: “Really, the Prime Minister should just know the gig’s up.”

William Wragg, Tory chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, used a scathing speech to confirm he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership.

“I cannot reconcile myself to the Prime Minister’s continued leadership of our country and the Conservative Party,” he told the Commons.

Tory MPs had initially been ordered to back a Government amendment which would defer any decision on referring the matter to the committee until after the conclusion of the Met Police inquiry.

But in a late U-turn shortly before the debate began, Tory MPs were given a free vote.