Facts

Boris Johnson had fought almost up to the last minute to block a parliamentary investigation into whether Johnson’s denials of lockdown rule-breaking “appear to amount to misleading the House.” He was forced into a change of mind after a rebellion in Tory ranks. 

Verdict

It was a strict, three line whip until shortly before the debate started. The Downing Street spokesperson’s account of the event was nonsense and they would have known their remark was a lie.

We approached Downing Street to give them a chance to comment, but received no response.