Holey said it is not up to him to determine whether Johnson has spoken disparagingly in parliament about parties and gatherings at his home and office in Downing Street during the lockdown. “My role is to assess whether there is a disputable case that needs to be examined.”
Labor leader Keir Starmer is therefore entitled to submit a motion to request that debate. The text will be published on Wednesday. The opposition is likely to ask parliament to refer this matter to Johnson to a parliamentary committee of inquiry. This can then determine whether the Prime Minister has deliberately misled the House of Commons with his reactions to the allegations of law-breaking in Downing Street.
The question is whether the motion will pass. The Conservatives have a large majority in the House of Commons. A significant number of Johnson’s party members must vote with the opposition to initiate a parliamentary inquiry. So far, only a handful of them have openly criticized the prime minister.