BORIS Johnson has refused to rule out holding a snap general election amid claims the inquiry into his conduct risks becoming a “kangaroo court”.

The Prime Minister has insisted that the idea of holding an election before the next scheduled poll in 2024 “hasn’t occurred to me”, but repeatedly failed to rule out the prospect.

The Prime Minister has claimed he has a new mandate at Westminster following his victory in the confidence vote, despite 41% of his own MPs deciding he should go, and was asked whether he would also seek a fresh mandate from the country.

Asked whether he was ruling out an early election he said: “I’m just saying, I don’t comment on those sorts of things.”

He added: “The idea hadn’t occurred to me, if you really want the truth, because I’m focused on getting through the cost-of-living pressures, developing and improving, widening, our plan for a stronger economy, and making sure that we continue to offer leadership on some of the tough global issues the world faces.”

Asked if he was leaning towards a snap election he said: “I am not offering commentary, what I’m trying to get over to you is that I’m here to comment on policy, on the agenda of government.”

His comments came as The Times reported that staff at Conservative Party headquarters had war-gamed the idea of calling a snap election if Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is forced to resign as a result of Durham Police’s investigation into alleged breaches of coronavirus rules.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the UK Government is “not speculating about elections”.

Asked whether the next poll should be in 2024 as scheduled, Ms Truss told Sky News: “We’re not thinking about that, we’re thinking about getting on with the job.”

Ms Truss has also rejected claims from allies of Mr Johnson that the inquiry into whether he lied to Parliament over partygate risks becoming a “kangaroo court”.

The Foreign Secretary said that she “implicitly” trusts the Privileges Committee to investigate the Prime Minister and defended the decision for Labour grandee Harriet Harman to chair it.

The Commons inquiry that could determine Mr Johnson’s fate in office began on Wednesday with a decision to allow Downing Street staff to give evidence anonymously if necessary.

Ms Harman was elected to lead the cross-party committee, which is expected to begin holding oral evidence sessions in the autumn.

The Telegraph reported Downing Street sources accusing the committee of relying on “hearsay evidence” by considering allowing witnesses anonymity.

And they questioned Ms Harman, a former acting Labour leader, leading the committee.

But Ms Truss told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I trust implicitly my parliamentary colleagues to listen properly to the evidence and make the right decision.”

She told Sky News that “I don’t see a problem” with Ms Harman chairing the committee and rejected the sources’ claims that it is going to be a kangaroo court.

Ms Truss said: “No, we have these processes in Parliament. The process has kicked off, we now need to wait for the results.”

The committee gave a month for witnesses to come forward after launching their investigation in a private meeting on Wednesday.

Mr Johnson survived a vote of no confidence by Tory MPs earlier this month in the wake of Sue Gray’s damning inquiry into partygate.

But 148 Conservatives, including Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross – or 41% of his party – voted against Mr Johnson, in what was a major blow to his authority.

Under the current rules of the Conservative 1922 Committee, the Prime Minister cannot face another vote over his leadership for a year.

However, the group of backbench MPs could work to change this if they believe any events change the situation and that he should go.

Some Conservatives have said they believe Mr Johnson being found to have lied to the House, normally considered a resigning matter, would cross that line.