In the midst of public anger about “partygate”, conservative legislators are considering whether to trigger a vote of no confidence in Johnson. This is a remarkable turn of fortune for a politician, who led the Conservatives to their largest election win in nearly 40 years just two years ago.
Johnson and his loyal ministers used pressure and promises to get rebels to submit letters to a party committee asking for a vote.
A no-confidence vote against the leader of the Conservative Party can be initiated by 54 members of the party writing letters to an official requesting it.
Only a few Conservative MPs have so far called for Johnson’s resignation, but several dozen have written letters, including some lawmakers elected in a Johnson-led landslide of December 2019.
Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative lawmaker, is calling for a leader change. He said that he believed the 54-letter threshold would be met “this week,” setting up the conditions for a confidence vote in days.
Johnson would lose a confidence vote from the party’s 360 legislators, which would set off a contest for his replacement as Conservative leader. The winner would become the prime minister.
This Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions session takes place in the House of Commons. It comes one week after Johnson apologised to lawmakers for attending a “bring-your-own booze” event in his Downing Street office garden in May 2020. To stop the spread of coronavirus in Britain, it was forbidden for people to meet more than one person from their household at the time.
Johnson stated that he considered the party to be a work gathering and it was within the rules.
Johnson stated Tuesday, “I’m categorical. Nobody said to me, ‘This is an incident that is against the rules.'”
Sue Gray, a senior civil servant is investigating claims that government employees held late-night parties, boozy parties, and “wine time Fridays” during coronavirus restrictions in Britain in 2020 and 2021. These allegations have caused public anger, mockery, and incredulity as well as prompting a growing number Conservatives to call on Johnson’s resignation.
Gray’s report will be published before the end of the month.
Johnson’s apology, in which he admitted “misjudgments”, but not personal rule-breaking, appears to have weakened his position within the party, rather than strengthened it.
Gray’s verdict has been requested by Gray’s opponents. Experts say Gray will not be exonerated nor found guilty of breaking the law.
Even Johnson’s supporters in Congress say that he would be forced to resign if it was proven that he lied.
James Heappey, Armed Forces Minister, stated that members of the public were “absolutely furious.”
Heappey said, “I am also angry,” but added that the prime minister had “stand up at the despatchbox and presented his version of events and apologised profusely to British public.”
“I believe the prime minister’s words.” He said that he knew that this was not enough for many constituents.
