The deputy prime minister has insisted there will not be a Boris Johnson leadership vote next week, saying the “Westminster bubble whips this stuff up”.

Dominic Raab downplayed any threat to Mr Johnson’s premiership as the number of Conservative MPs publicly calling for him to go reached around 40 in the wake of the Sue Gray report on lockdown-breaking parties in Number 10 and Whitehall.

Asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley if there will be a leadership vote next week, as predicted by former leader William Hague, he said: “No. I think the Westminster bubble, village, whips this stuff up and I’m not saying it’s not serious and significant but we dealt with all those issues, the prime minister has dealt with all those issues.

“It does feel like a lot of commentary building up this issue when actually, when I talk to MPs and across the House of Commons on the issues I’m taking forward… they want to see us driving forward that agenda.

“To be honest, votes of no confidence, leadership contests, all of that is yet more of Westminster talking to itself, not talking to the public, our constituents and the vast majority of MPs respect, recognise and agree with that.”

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