BORIS Johnson today insisted he WON'T quit over the Partygate saga as he stared down Labour's fevered resignation calls at PMQs.

The defiant PM came out fighting this afternoon despite nervously awaiting Sue Gray's report – which is due any day now and could decide his fate.

Downing Street had not received her findings this lunchtime but were braced to be handed them "imminently".

But The Sun understands the report now isn't expected today.

Damning conclusions could send the crisis nuclear and trigger mutinous Tory MPs to submit letters of no confidence in their leader.

But as the Commons turned into a bear pit this lunchtime, the PM said he wasn't going anywhere and reeled out his list of achievements in government.

Pushed by Sir Keir Starmer if he would resign for misleading Parliament, Mr Johnson replied with an emphatic "no".

He added: "There was an invitation for me to do what of course the Labour Party want me to do.

"But I'm not going to do it. We are going to carry on with our agenda of uniting and levelling up across the country."

On another dramatic day:

• Liz Truss said she "100 per cent" supports the PM to continue
• Jacob Rees-Mogg said the PM's resignation would trigger a general election
• But the Commons leader was slapped down by Tory colleagues
• Senior Tory Rob Halfon said Mr Johnson should "respond and take responsibility" when the report comes
• Boris ally Conor Burns said the PM was "ambushed by a cake" on his birthday

During a fiery Commons clash Sir Keir accused his Tory foe of misleading MPs over his knowledge of rule-breaking parties in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson agreed he is bound by the ministerial code never to mislead Parliament – a resignation matter – but swatted away calls to quit.

Instead he pointed to his success in guiding Britain through Covid and skewered Labour's "relentlessly opportunistic" record during the pandemic.

He fumed: "He has flip-flopped from one side to the other, he would have kept us in lockdown in the summer, he would have taken us back into lockdown at Christmas.

"It is precisely because we didn't listen to Captain Hindsight that we have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and we have got all the big calls right."

He branded the Labour boss "a lawyer not a leader".

Yesterday Mr Johnson put on a brave face as he "welcomed" Scotland Yard's investigation into around eight Downing Street and Whitehall parties.

He said it would "draw a line" under the saga and let him get on with running the country.

Met chief Dame Cressida Dick yesterday poured petrol on the Partygate crisis by announcing her cops were looking into the allegations of rule-breaking.

The PM's spokesman said he was not aware Mr Johnson had been contacted for an interview.

It could see a slew of No10 aides or even the PM slapped with Fixed Notice Penalty of at least £200.

Cabinet allies threw a protective arm around the PM, with Jacob Rees-Mogg saying the government had gone from "strength to strength" under his watch.

Most read in The Sun

Tory MP Stuart Anderson said calls for the PM to resign were just "strengthening Putin's hand" and risking conflict in Ukraine.

And Sir Edward Leigh added: "When European stands on the brink of war and there is cost of living crisis can we please have a sense of proportion over the Prime Minister being given a piece of cake in his own office by his own staff."

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was wheeled out to defend the PM's so-called birthday party in the No10 Cabinet rooms in June 2020.

He said it was probably "unwise" to hold an impromptu celebration – but stressed it was not a party just because "someone says… here's a cake".

And PM ally, Conor Burns, told Channel 4 News: "As far as I can see, he was in a sense, ambushed with a cake.

"They came to his office with a cake, they sang happy birthday, he was there for ten minutes.

"I don't think most people looking at that at home would characterise that as a party. I support him, I want him to continue as Prime Minister.

Deputy PM Dominic Raab refused to speculate as to what would happen if the PM had to resign told a reporter: "You're getting well ahead of yourself, we await the outcome of Sue Gray's inquiry. I have full confidence in the Prime Minister."

But former minister Tobias Ellwood told Sky News: "I think my confidence in Boris is slipping away."

Source: Read Full Article