Fifteen Labour MPs rebelled by voting in favour of a parliamentary inquiry into Sir Keir Starmer. The Prime Minister will not face the Commons Privileges Committee amid claims he misled Parliament over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador after MPs voted down the Tory bid by 335 to 223.

But 15 Labour MPs voted in favour of the move despite being ordered to reject it. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch had accused the Prime Minister of misleading the Commons by claiming “full due process” had been followed and “no pressure existed” in Lord Mandelson’s appointment as the UK's top diplomat in Washington.

Sir Keir has consistently denied misleading the Commons over the issue as he battles for his premiership ahead of next week's local elections, where Labour is set to face a pummelling.

Meanwhile, Downing Street accused the Conservatives of resorting to a “desperate political stunt”.

Mrs Badenoch said after the vote that Labour MPs would “rue the day” they voted against referring Sir Keir to the Privileges Committee.

She said: “To save his own skin, Keir Starmer threatened his MPs with the loss of their jobs unless they helped cover up his misleading statements to Parliament. It is a disgrace that 333 Labour MPs chose to be complicit in that cover up.

“It is very notable that the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister would not repeat his boss’s claim that there “was no pressure whatsoever” from No 10 on the appointment of Peter Mandelson.

“This is a government coming apart at the seams. They are more interested in their own survival than the cost of living crisis affecting hardworking families.

“Labour MPs will rue the day that they voted against this motion, because it is the day that people saw they believe there’s one rule for Labour and another for everyone else.”