AS IT HAPPENED: Boris Johnson grilled over Dominic Cummings scandal

Boris Johnson will face a 90-minute grilling from senior MPs this afternoon over his decision to stand by Dominic Cummings.

The prime minister will appear before the powerful Liaison Committee from 4pm to 5.30pm to take questions over his handling of coronavirus, the economy and Mr Cummings.

More than 35 Tory MPs have called for Mr Cummings to resign or be fired after his 260-mile lockdown trip from London to County Durham came to light.

The hearing also comes a day after Moray MP Douglas Ross resigned from his  ministerial role at the Scotland Office over Mr Cummings’ actions.

Among those set to question the prime minister will be the committee’s chairman, Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin, former Tory cabinet ministers Greg Clark and Karen Bradley, ex-Labour minister Hilary Benn and the SNP’s Pete Wishart.

Follow rolling coverage of the hearing below.