Minister defends PM’s decision to skip sleaze debate

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not attend this afternoon’s emergency Commons debate on MPs standards.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international trade secretary, told the BBC One Breakfast programme that Mr Johnson would “have Parliament on in the corner of the room”.

In response to the suggestion that the Prime Minister’s absence meant he was not taking the issue seriously , she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I am not sure that is necessary a reflection of how the Prime Minister takes things seriously, which he does.

“He also has a unique job that only he can do. If there are urgent matters of state on his desk I would expect him to [deal with] that.”