NADINE Dorries’s defence of Boris Johnson has been branded “a disaster” following the release of Sue Gray’s update on the partygate scandal.

The Culture Secretary came out to bat for the Prime Minister after a bruising session in the Commons in which he was pilloried from all benches.

But she dismissed all criticism and even defended her boss for regurgitating a debunked conspiracy theory about Keir Starmer.

Johnson sparked outrage in the Commons after accusing the Labour leader, while he was head of Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), of failing to prosecute disgraced former TV presenter Jimmy Savile.

After such claims circulated last year, a fact-check by the Reuters news agency concluded there was “no evidence” Starmer was “directly involved in the decision not to prosecute Jimmy Savile”.

Full Fact added that an official investigation which Starmer commissioned criticised both prosecutors and police for their handling of the allegations.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson 'parrots far-right attacks' on Keir Starmer with Jimmy Savile line

Quizzed about her boss spreading “fake news” by Channel 4, Dorries gave a series of bullish responses in an interview which went viral on social media.

The Tory minister ultimately insisted that “the Prime Minister tells the truth”.

READ MORE: Blackford stands by Johnson comments: 'I’ve stood up for my constituents'

Dorries was also criticised for her performance on Sky News. The Culture Secretary accused a journalist of spouting “pure fiction” and “guess work” in their analysis of the Sue Gray report – despite the fact the Sky reporter was quoting from the report itself.

READ MORE: Ruth Davidson close to tears explaining her 'upset' at Boris Johnson's leadership

Responding to the Channel 4 performance, SNP MP Pete Wishart commented: “There is never any way that getting Nadine Dorries out to ‘defend’ you could ever be anything other than a disaster. This is something else.”

Party colleague John Nicolson added: “Disgraceful. Nadine Dorries is not fit for office. And frighteningly #disinformation falls within my opposite number’s brief.”

Sharing the video on his Twitter profile, Scottish Culture Secretary Angus Robertson referenced comments by Dorries about changing the funding model for public broadcasters.

"Disappointed that I won’t be meeting Nadine Dorries today as planned," he posted. "I was intending to tell her to stop undermining public service TV that broadcasts important interviews like this."

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has since defended Johnson for repeating the discredited Savile claim in the Commons.

Asked if he would withdraw the Tory leader's claim, Raab told Times Radio: “It’s not for me to do that. What I would say is it’s part of the cut and thrust in the Chamber.”

Johnson also accused the Labour frontbench of drug taking during the parliamentary debate.

A Labour MP said: "Part four of Sue Gray's report says that there is a culture of excessive consumption of alcohol which is not appropriate. Is there also a culture excessive drug taking in Downing Street?"

Prompting gasps in the chamber, the PM replied: "Any drug taking would be excessive and perhaps he should direct that question to the Labour front bench."