Newbury MP Laura Farris not saying how she voted in Boris Johnson confidence vote

Newbury MP Laura Farris is refusing to say which way she voted in the no confidence vote against the Prime Minister.

She says her position on the Commons Privileges Committee, which will investigate if Boris Johnson lied to Parliament over Partygate, means she has to remain tight-lipped.

“Under legal advice, we are all not saying anything about the matter,” she said.

When pushed on how she felt about the vote she said it was a "serious event" and that it is "going to take some rebuilding".

She added that she had not replied to emails since the Sue Grey report, but that she intended to do so now.

The Privileges Committee sits again next Monday (June 13) and Ms Farris said the timetable for the investigation into the Prime Minister will be set.

It can summon MPs to appear before it, but Ms Farris said it was too early to determine if the Prime Minister will be called to account for himself.

She said she and the four other Conservatives on the committee are also keeping tight lipped on their voting preferences.

There are two Labour members and one SNP member on the panel.

Labour MP Chris Bryant was removed as the chairman of the committee after speaking out, and has been replaced by Harriet Harman.

He described the release of the photos confirming Boris Johnson’s presence at a lockdown-breaking party as the beginning of the end for the UK Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson has so far weathered a confidence vote, Met Police fines and Sue Gray’s critique of failures of leadership in Number 10.

If the backbenchers decide that if they need to hear from the Prime Minister in person, he will have no choice but to appear, or to be held in contempt of parliament.