Boris Johnson on Wednesday night urged MP critics to focus on issues that “matter” to voters rather than the “partygate” scandal, as he pushed to delay a key vote until after the local elections.

Speaking to reporters on his flight to India, the Prime Minister vowed to fight the next election as MPs decide on Thursday whether to order an investigation to determine if he misled Parliament. 

Amid signs of a Tory rebellion, Downing Street will try to delay a decision for potentially weeks or months on whether Parliament’s privileges committee should look into the issue. 

Tory MPs will be whipped into backing an amendment saying a decision should be taken only after the Metropolitan Police’s investigation ends and a civil service report into the matter is published. 

Labour and other opposition parties want to commission the investigation on Thursday, fearing voter anger over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street could fade.

‘Focus on things we were elected to do’

Discussing the “partygate” row and the Commons vote, the Prime Minister urged MP opponents to focus on issues that mattered to voters. 

Mr Johnson said: “I think politics has taught me one thing which is that you’re better off talking and focussing on the things that matter and the things that make a real difference to the electorate, and not about politicians themselves.”

Asked if he was saying “partygate” did not matter, Mr Johnson repeated: “You’re better off talking about things other than politicians themselves.”

At another point, Mr Johnson said: “The best thing to do for the people, for Parliament, is to get on and focus on the things we were elected to do.”

Heading off a Tory rebellion

Downing Street’s “wrecking” amendment will head off a rebellion among some Tory MPs who were expected to refuse to vote with the Government out of frustration with the damage the “partygate” scandal has caused the Conservatives ahead of the local elections.

At least six MPs who were planning to abstain in Thursday’s vote were led by Sir Charles Walker, a vice-chairman of the 1922 Committee.

“If the fines keep racking up there is only so long that the Prime Minister will be able to lean on his party for support,” Sir Charles said on Wednesday.

Any investigation into Mr Johnson’s conduct cannot begin until the conclusion of the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into “partygate”, which could issue him with more fixed penalty notices if it finds he broke the law at more than one event.

Mr Johnson, Carrie Johnson and Rishi Sunak have so far been fined once each for attending a birthday gathering for the Prime Minister in the Cabinet Room in Downing Street in June 2020.

The Prime Minister could face an even larger rebellion in the eventual vote on whether to investigate him for misleading the Commons if he is found to have broken the law multiple times at raucous events, including one gathering that allegedly took place inside his private flat.