Image source, Reuters

In the House of Commons a few moments ago, the government issued writs triggering by-elections to replace Boris Johnson and his fellow Conservative Nigel Adams.

The former prime minister shocked Westminster last Friday when he announced he would be resigning as an MP.

His decision to step down as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip came after he received the report from the committee investigating whether he misled Parliament over Partygate.

The by-elections have to take place between 21 and 27 working days after the issuing of the writ.

Prime Minister’s Questions will get under way shortly, and there’s plenty of ground the session could cover.

Expect some of the discussion to centre on Tory infighting, not least the explosive row between Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson over the latter’s honours list.

Sunak has accused his former boss of asking him to “overrule” the vetting advice on his House of Lords nominations, but Johnson accused the PM of “talking rubbish”.

Let’s not forget that Johnson and two allies have said they would quit as MPs in recent days, causing more headaches for Sunak.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has previously accused Sunak of being too weak to control his party, and we could see similar charges flung across the aisle today.

The government’s handling of the economy could also come up, after chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the UK has “no alternative” but to raise interest rates to try to tackle rising prices.

But Labour is unlikely to get a free pass, either, having been accused of failing to stick to its promises, after rowing back on its policy to invest £28bn a year in green industries if its wins power - Sunak could well use this as an attack point against Starmer.

Then there’s the turmoil going within the SNP, after former leader Nicola Sturgeon was arrested in relation to the investigation into the party’s finances. Although she was released without charge, that’s not an opportunity likely to be missed by the party’s Westminster rivals.

Buckle up.

Image source, Reuters

Since last Friday, the Tory Party has been engulfed in its latest round of bloodletting, with Boris Johnson and allies turning their fire on Rishi Sunak – and the prime minister responding by talking “tough” about his predecessor.

First, key Johnson ally Nadine Dorries announced she would be standing down as an MP, prompting a by-election. It was later confirmed that she had been denied a peerage in Johnson’s resignation honours list, and was blaming Downing Street for that.

On Friday evening, Johnson himself said he would be quitting Parliament “for now”. He accused the Commons Privileges Committee, which has been investigating whether he “deliberately or recklessly” misled Parliament over Partygate, of acting like a “kangaroo court” when he had acted in good faith.

He also criticised Sunak for putting the Conservatives’ time in power at risk.

Another Johnson ally Nigel Adams also quit as an MP, forcing a third by-election.

By Monday, Downing Street had concluded it needed to go on the offensive. Sunak accused Johnson of wanting him to do something he should not over the honours list, and said if people did not like the fact that he had refused to, that was “tough”.

Image source, PA Media

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was seen leaving Downing Street in the last while for the House of Commons for today's Prime Minister's Questions.

Hello and thank you for joining us as we prepare for this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, or PMQs.

This is the first PMQs since the Conservatives faced a hat-trick of resignations - with Boris Johnson, Nadine Dories and Nigel Adams all saying they would step down as MPs.

It comes as Johnson submitted a letter to the MPs investigating whether he misled Parliament over lockdown parties. The privileges is committee is set to publish its findings this week.

We can also expect to hear questions about mortgages, after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said there was “no alternative” but to hike interest rates in a bid to tackle rising prices.

We have reporters poised in New Broadcasting House, at our office in Millbank, and we’ll be bringing you analysis from our correspondents in Parliament too.