Why did Rishi Sunak miss Partygate vote on Boris Johnson?

MPs delivered their verdict connected Boris Johnson connected Monday night, endorsing a study that recovered helium deliberately misled Parliament implicit Partygate.

But 225 of his erstwhile Conservative MP colleagues were absent, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Most had decided to enactment distant from the Commons debate, alternatively than grounds their verdict against the antheral who led them to triumph astatine the past wide election.

Along with the premier minister, the bulk of the furniture besides recovered themselves engaged during Monday night's vote.

It did not halt the report, written by the Commons privileges committee aft a year-long inquiry, passing easy by 354 votes to seven.

Conservative MPs who voted against it included Sir Bill Cash, Nick Fletcher, Adam Holloway, Karl McCartney, Joy Morrissey and Heather Wheeler.

Work and Pensions Minister Mel Stride has since told the BBC helium had abstained from the ballot due to the fact that helium thought its main authorisation - a hypothetical 90-day suspension for Mr Johnson, had helium not already discontinue arsenic an MP - was excessively severe.

But what astir Rishi Sunak? The honorable reply is we don't cognize yet.

We are told the premier curate had longstanding engagements connected Monday.

In the afternoon, helium had a gathering with Sweden's PM Ulf Kristersson. In the evening, helium attended an lawsuit hosted by a wellness and societal attraction charity.

When asked astir wherefore helium missed the vote, Downing Street said helium was focused connected the future.

But this was not conscionable astir logistics (a premier curate tin get astir beauteous rapidly with their constabulary escort).

Mr Sunak has gone to large lengths not to present a verdict connected whether his predecessor lied to Parliament.

He was asked astir it connected Thursday morning, conscionable earlier the committee's study was published. He said helium did not privation to pre-empt their conclusions.

On Monday, having had the play to digest the report's findings, helium was asked however helium would vote.

Several times, helium dodged a nonstop reply and simply said helium did not privation to power different MPs, who were not being instructed by enactment managers - called whips - however they should vote.

So arsenic things stand, we bash not really cognize what the premier curate thinks astir the report. We'll support asking.

But that uncertainty is convenient for Mr Sunak.

If helium had voted to endorse the report, helium would person been seen by Boris Johnson's allies arsenic having committed different enactment of treachery.

Many would ne'er person forgiven him. They could person made beingness hard successful the coming months.

If helium had rejected the report, that would person angered different Conservatives who spoke passionately successful defence of the privileges committee successful the Commons connected Monday.

It would have, successful the eyes of opponents, undermined his committedness to integrity, professionalism and accountability, which helium made connected the steps of Downing Street erstwhile helium became PM.

But abstaining is not without risk.

You tin expect absorption parties to hammer location the statement that Mr Sunak is excessively anemic to present judgement connected Mr Johnson.

Liberal Democrats person accused him of a "cowardly cop-out," portion Labour has called him "too anemic to pb a enactment excessively divided to govern".