The government has dropped its attempt to delay a vote on whether the prime minister should face a probe into claims that he misled Parliament.

Tory MPs will no longer be whipped to block an investigation by the privileges committee into Boris Johnson’s statements about the affair in the House of Commons.

Labour has tabled a motion to refer Mr Johnson to the committee over the PM’s initial claims that no lockdown rules had been broken.

Politics live: Surprise U-turn ahead of debate on partygate inquiry

Conservative MPs had been told to support an amendment delaying a vote on such a motion until after separate investigations by the police and civil servant Sue Gray.

But they have now been told they will have a free vote – and the amendment has been dropped.

Labour said it was “humiliating” for the Conservatives after the party’s MPs were initially ordered to support the blocking move in a vote today.

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