RISHI Sunak has been accused of “running scared” of his own MPs after Downing Street said he was too busy to vote on punishing Boris Johnson for lying to parliament.

Number 10 said the Prime Minister had “commitments that he can’t move” and was not planning to attend the Commons.

Mr Sunak’s diary today includes a meeting with the Prime minister of Sweden.

The PM also said he didn’t want to influence others in the free vote.

He told ITV: “It will be up to each and every individual MP to make a decision of what they want to do when the time comes.

“It’s important the Government doesn’t get involved in that because it is a matter for Parliament and members as individuals, not as members (of) Government.”

MPs are due to start debating last week’s devastating report from the Commons Privileges Committee around 430pm.

It concluded Mr Johnson had committed “repeated contempts” of parliament by deliberately misleading MPs about Covid rule-breaking at No10 when he was Prime Minister.

He had then compounded his misconduct by leaking the Committee’s provisional findings and trying to intimate it by railing against a “kangaroo court” and a “witch hunt”. 

The Tory-dominated committee said he should be suspended for 90 days - a punishment he escapes by dint of having resigned as an MP.

However it also said he should be denied the life-long Commons pass  routinely given to former MPs, which would affect Mr Johnson. 

Mr Johnson initially condemned the findings as “deranged” and “a lie”, while his allies suggested any Tory MP who supported them should be deselected.

However Mr Johnson later called off his troops in case pushing the matter to a vote in the Commons revealed the limited extent of his support.

Mr Sunak meanwhile is keen to move on and put the latest Tory infighting behind him.

The PM’s official spokesman said Mr Sunak has afternoon meetings today, including hosting his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, before attending a dinner in the evening.

Asked if Mr Sunak planned to attend the Commons if there was a vote on the Privileges Committee’s report, the official said: “It depends on the timings of the day. 

“He has commitments that he can’t move, but obviously it will depend on how the timings in Parliament play out.”

Pressed again on whether Mr Sunak could make a Commons appearance, the spokesman said: “You’ve got his schedule for today, which doesn’t include attending Parliament.”

Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Sunak should participate if there was a vote, saying: “He should show leadership - come along, get in the lobby, and show us where he stands on this.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Refusing to back this motion would be an insult to bereaved families who grieved alone while Johnson lied and partied.

“The buck stops at the very top of Government – if Rishi Sunak really wanted to govern with integrity he shouldn’t be running scared of this vote.”

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has said he intends to vote to sanction Mr Johnson.

However the six-strong group of Scottish Tory MPs is split on the issue, with Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, a Johnson loyalist, planning to abstain. 

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were reviewing new material in relation to a Christmas party held at Tory HQs during the height of the pandemic.

Tory activists were invited to a “jingle and mingle” party despite members of the public being banned from seeing each other under Covid regulations in place at the time.