Boris Johnson has repeatedly refused to give MPs a commitment to publish Sue Gray’s report into rule-breaking in No 10 in “full”.
The prime minister said he will “take a decision” after the Metropolitan Police conclude their separate probe into the allegations of parties.
The move is likely to enrage backbench Conservative MPs, who repeatedly tackled Mr Johnson on the issue during a bruising statement to the Commons.
On Monday, Ms Gray published an “update” of her long-awaited report after being told to make “minimal” reference to key allegations of gathering under investigation by the Met.
She added that in the meantime it was not possible to present a “meaningful report” and was “extremely limited” over the information she could reveal.
Speaking moments after her initial findings were published, the former Conservative chief whip Mark Harper told the Commons: “Many have questioned, including my constituents, the prime minister’s honesty, integrity and fitness to hold that office. In judging him he rightly asked us to wait for all the facts.”
He added: “Sue Gray has made it clear in her update today that she couldn’t produce a meaningful report with the facts.
“So could I ask the prime minister the question (Labour MP Diane Abbott) asked him and to which he didn’t give an answer: when Sue Gray produces all of the facts in her full report after the police investigation, will he commit to publish it immediately and in full?”
Mr Johnson, however, said: “What we’ve got to do is wait for the police to conclude their inquiries, that is the proper thing to do.
‘”People have given all sorts of evidence in the expectation that it would not necessarily be published, at that stage I will take a decision about what to publish.”
The question was also echoed by senior backbencher Julian Lewis, who chairs Parliament’s intelligence and security committee. He said the prime minister should “publish the uncensored version with any further delay”.
But the prime minister replied: “I think extensive legal advice has been taken on this point and Sue Gray has published everything that she thinks she can that is consistent with that advice.”
Posting on social media during Mr Johnson’s statement, Tobias Ellwood, another senior Tory MP said: “The PM promised to publish the Sue Gray Report in full so Parliament and the British people could better appreciate the facts and draw their own conclusions.
“If the PM fails to publish the report in full then he will no longer have my support.”
