UK PM Johnson seeks to defuse showdown over whether he misled parliament

A protestor holds a placard near the Houses of Parliament as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends the weekly question time debate at the House of Commons, in London, Britain, April 20, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

LONDON/AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes to defuse a parliamentary showdown on Thursday by asking lawmakers to delay a decision on whether he should be investigated over accusations that he misled parliament about breaches of COVID-19 rules.

Johnson apologised to the House of Commons on Tuesday after he was fined by police for breaking lockdown orders, saying he did not know a birthday gathering at the height of the pandemic breached restrictions he had set.