When the Prime Minister arrives at the Despatch box in the House of Commons at 12pm this afternoon he is expected to be grilled by PMQs over Sue Gray's report into Partygate, which has been published today.
Boris Johnson received one fixed penalty notice (FPN) over a birthday party in the Cabinet Room in June 2020, but was told he would face no further action over other gatherings covered by the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Hillman inquiry.
However, with the report into the Downing Street parties now published in full, parliamentarians on the opposition benchers (as well as some on the Government's benches) will take the opportunity to press Mr Johnson on Ms Gray's findings.
Image of Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, published in the Sue Gray report.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons.
UK PARLIAMENT/JESSICA TAYLOR
This comes following images released by ITV, of Boris Johnson raising a glass of wine at a leaving party for former spin doctor Lee Cain. Mr Johnson was not fined for attending this event, despite it taking place during a national lockdown.
The Met has issued 126 FPNs to 83 people involved in a series of events in Downing Street and Whitehall, including on November 13 2020.
Following Labour's accusation that the latest images demonstrate there is "no doubt now" that Mr Johnson "lied" to Parliament, it's expected that several opposition MPs will repeat the accusation in the chamber, when the Prime Minister addresses the House.
British Labour Party opposition leader Keir Starmer gestures during Prime Minister's Questions.
UK PARLIAMENT/JESSICA TAYLOR
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: "While the British public were making huge sacrifices, Boris Johnson was breaking the law.
"Boris Johnson said repeatedly that he knew nothing about law-breaking – there’s no doubt now, he lied.
"Boris Johnson made the rules, and then broke them."
Ms Gray's report is highly critical of the culture in No 10 which led to the repeated violations of Covid restrictions over the course of 2020 and 2021.
As well as addressing the Commons, Mr Johnson will hold a press conference in Downing Street and address the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs, who will have to decide whether the findings are sufficiently serious to warrant a push to oust him.
