Penny Mordaunt backed the Partygate report condemning Boris Johnson tonight as MPs kicked off a bitter Commons showdown.
The Leader of the House signalled her support for the controversial conclusions of the Privileges Committee as the debate opened – on the ex-PM’s 59th birthday.
Ms Mordaunt also appealed for members not to try to bully colleagues into taking a side on the issue.
There had been speculation that the recommendations – including banning Mr Johnson from holding a Parliamentary pass – would just be ‘nodded through’.
However, Tories now believe that Labour is determined to force a formal vote, with one senior MP accusing Keir Starmer of making the issue ‘partisan’ and ‘nasty’. Labour sources said they also expect a division.
Both sides are anticipating many hours of clashes in the House, with the debate potentially ‘going the distance’ from around 4.30pm until 10pm.
Pressed in the chamber on her own position, Ms Mordaunt said: ‘As the member for Portsmouth North I will be voting to support the committee’s report and recommendations.
‘But all members need to make up their own minds and others should leave them alone to do so.’
However, Ms Mordaunt might be a rare ministers to vote in favour. Rishi Sunak has effectively washed his hands of the situation, saying it is a matter for the House rather than government and he did not want to ‘influence’ anyone.
The premier is due to be entertaining his Swedish counterpart at No10 this afternoon and then at a function this evening, giving him a get-out from participating. No10 confirmed he is not scheduled to go to Parliament.
A crunch debate is set to be held on the Privileges Committee’s damning conclusions this afternoon – Boris Johnson’s 59th birthday
Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt signalled her support for the controversial conclusions of the Privileges Committee as the debate opened – on the ex-PM’s 59th birthday
There had been speculation that the recommendations – including banning Mr Johnson from holding a Parliamentary pass – would just be ‘nodded through’
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove also declared yesterday that he will abstain. Mr Gove suggested that the 90-day suspension recommended by the committee – which is moot because Mr Johnson has already quit – was too long.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain on ITV, Mr Sunak said: ‘This committee was established under the former Prime Minister. It commanded the confidence of the house at the time and I’m sure that they have done their work thoroughly and I respect them for that.
‘This is a matter for the house rather than the government, that’s an important distinction and that is why I wouldn’t want to influence anyone in advance of that vote.
‘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 as government.’
The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘I don’t think we know yet whether there will be a vote on this issue.
‘The Prime Minister is hosting the prime minister of Sweden. He has a series of meetings (and) an evening commitment.’
Asked whether he planned to attend the Commons if there was a vote, the No 10 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 appear in the Commons, the spokesman said: ‘Currently you’ve got his schedule for today which doesn’t include attending Parliament, but obviously we will see how the timings play out.’
The motion on the Privileges Committee’s findings would only be a subject to a formal vote if some MPs shout ‘object’ when the question is put.
One senior MP told MailOnline: ‘Labour are going to force a vote. They can’t resist it. They will put up some tellers.
‘They are making it a partisan thing so it is likely to get nasty.’
The MP added: ‘I think 20 Tories will vote against now.’
Some 30 MPs were said to have put their names down to speak in the debate by lunchtime, but numbers have been rising quickly. One Labour source said the session might ‘go the distance’ until 10pm.
It comes as Scotland Yard is ‘considering’ footage that emerged over the weekend from a 2020 Christmas gathering at Conservative Party headquarters.
Mr Gove said it was a matter for each individual MP to decide their own course of action over the committee findings – leaving the door open for other Conservatives to follow suit and potentially avoid casting a ballot.
Mr Johnson has furious condemned the report, but his allies have been urged not to oppose it on the basis that the sanctions have no practical effect.
It is unclear whether any of his backers, or Labour or the Lib Dems, will shout object when the motion is put to the House. If there is no significant resistance, the Speaker has some latitude to declare the issue passed without a division.
Senior backbencher Bill Cash is among a group who have pledged to vote against the report if there is a division.
Treasury Select Committee chair Harriet Baldwin told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour last night that she might support an amendment against the ban on Mr Johnson holding a pass – although one has not appeared on the Commons order paper.
But with at least three potentially damaging by-elections looming following the resignations of Mr Johnson, Nigel Adams and David Warburton, many could decide instead to spend the day on the campaign trail.
In a controversial 108-page report, the cross-party group of MPs recommended a 90-day suspension for Mr Johnson’s ‘repeated contempts’ of Parliament had he not pre-emptively resigned. It also says he should be denied the parliamentary pass usually given to former MPs.
The Conservative former leader has dismissed the findings of the committee, which he likened to a ‘kangaroo court,’ as smacking of ‘bias’ – attacks which led it to recommend a harsher sanction against him.
If the report is not opposed then it could just be nodded through the Commons.
The sanctions proposed by the Tory-majority committee are expected to pass regardless, with only a relatively small group of Johnson loyalists expected to oppose the report’s findings.
The debate comes after the Sunday Mirror obtained a video appearing to show Conservative staff dancing and joking about Covid restrictions at the height of the pandemic.
Both former London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and Tory aide Ben Mallet – who were handed a peerage and an OBE, respectively – attended the gathering.
Mr Gove told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg the pair should not be stripped of their honours because rules allow outgoing prime ministers to make such appointments.
The Metropolitan Police, which previously investigated the gathering and claimed there was ‘insufficient evidence to disprove the version of events provided by attendees,’ has said it is looking at the video.
A spokesman for the force said: ‘We are aware of the footage and are considering it.’
CCHQ said ‘formal disciplinary action’ was taken against four staff members, who were seconded to Mr Bailey’s mayoral campaign, over the ‘unauthorised’ event.
Mr Bailey had reportedly left the gathering when the video was taken and has previously apologised for his involvement.
