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<\/picture><\/span>Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nMPs delivered their verdict on Boris Johnson on Monday night, endorsing a report that found he deliberately misled Parliament over Partygate.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But 225 of his former Conservative MP colleagues were absent, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n So where were they?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Most had decided to stay away from the Commons debate, rather than record their verdict against the man who led them to victory at the last general election.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Along with the prime minister, the majority of the cabinet also found themselves busy during Monday night’s vote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n It did not stop the report, written by the Commons privileges committee after a year-long inquiry, passing easily by 354 votes to seven.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Conservative MPs who voted against it included Sir Bill Cash, Nick Fletcher, Adam Holloway, Karl McCartney, Joy Morrissey and Heather Wheeler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Work and Pensions Minister Mel Stride has since told the BBC he had abstained from the vote because he thought its main sanction – a hypothetical 90-day suspension for Mr Johnson, had he not already quit as an MP – was too severe. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another cabinet minister – Michael Gove – said the same on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But what about Rishi Sunak? The honest answer is we don’t know yet. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We are told the prime minister had longstanding engagements on Monday. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In the afternoon, he had a meeting with Sweden’s PM Ulf Kristersson. In the evening, he attended an event hosted by a health and social care charity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When asked about why he missed the vote, Downing Street said he was focused on the future. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But this was not just about logistics (a prime minister can get around pretty quickly with their police escort). <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n‘Longstanding engagements’<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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