Boris Johnson to face Tory no confidence vote
In the wake of the lockdown party scandal that made headlines the past week, British PM Boris Johnson is facing arguably the biggest political crisis of his Tory party’s leadership.
In the wake of the lockdown party scandal that made headlines the past week, as well as his confession, British PM Boris Johnson is facing arguably the biggest political crisis of his Tory party’s leadership.
Conservative MPs coming from all over the spectrum are now searching for a way to oust Johnson from his position following his much-ridiculed and eyebrow-raising interview in which he claimed that “nobody warned me it was against the rules” to host a drinking party in Downing Street during the first lockdown.
As the investigation conducted by senior civil servant Sue Gray is underway, many Tory figures believe the publication of the final report will most certainly incriminate Johnson and have thusly begun to hand or draft letters that would trigger a leadership contest.
Thus far, 20 letters have been accounted for while the number needed to trigger a vote of no confidence is 54. Senior party members have confirmed that this number would certainly be secured once Gray’s report arrives.
The timing could not have been worse for the UK’s politician of chaos, as not only he is trying to avert the eyes of constituents away from his unpopular – and occasionally illegal - actions amidst a series of political rows, but he is also desperately attempting to gather support for the next general election.
Boris in denial
Asked if he would resign if the inquiry proves he broke the law in his decision to host a “bring your own booze” party during the first lockdown, Boris Johnson bypassed the question with a rather vague answer.
Nonetheless, he did stress that nobody warned him it was against the rule, a claim refuted by his former aid Dominic Cummings, who noted that two officials warned Johnson against holding a party.
One Tory MP contended that if the vote goes as planned, Johnson will not will as “there is no incentive to support him.”
Another MP, Charles Walker, wrote to a constituent saying: “The prime minister and the party are severely damaged in the eyes of the electorate. It remains to be seen if this situation is recoverable.”
Could this be the end of Boris Johnson's playful yet destructive political tenure?