Boris Johnson: Conservative Rebels Will Trigger No Confidence Vote On Prime Minister As Soon As This Week

Rebel Conservative MPs say they expect a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson to take place in the coming days.

54 Conservative MPs must submit letters expressing their distrust of the prime minister to trigger a challenge.

Data compiled by Sky News shows that 28 Conservatives have publicly called for Johnson’s resignationwith several more questioning his position.

Business Minister Paul Scully also said on Sunday night that there “might well” be a vote of confidence, but predicted the prime minister would “meet” that challenge.

The process for activating a ballot is anonymous, and only Senior MP Sir Graham Brady, who chairs the 1922 Committee of Conservatives, knows who sent a letter.

A rebel MP told Sky News they suspected the vote would take place this week, but added it was hard to tell precisely because it was an “organic and completely disorganized” show of concern on the part of MPs.

Earlier this year, suggestions of an impending leadership challenge failed to materialise, with one MP sending a letter warning that “anything could happen” in the coming days.

There have been suggestions that the vote should be delayed later in the month to maximize the chances of removing the prime minister.

‘Boris isn’t going anywhere’

A senior MP who called for Johnson’s resignation said voting now would be “silly” and “too risky”.

If a contest breaks out, 180 Conservative MPs would have to vote against the prime minister for him to be removed.

Johnson’s allies said he would win the vote when it came, meaning a year’s immunity from further challenge, under party rules.

“After the 12 months, we will be very close to a general election, so there will probably be a lot of reluctance to remove him then… Boris will not go anywhere and will take us to the next general election,” said a former minister who supports him. . .

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“It is highly unlikely that the Conservatives will win the next election”

Downing Street will try to shift the focus to domestic politics this week, with a series of NHS announcements and a possible speech on housing construction.

Nevertheless, a poll on Sunday predicted more trouble for the prime ministerpredicting a big loss in the Wakefield by-election later this month.

“The main reason voters give is that Boris Johnson covered up partygate and then lied about it,” said James Johnson, a pollster for JL Partners.

“The second biggest reason is that Boris Johnson is out of touch with the working class.”

Campaigners have also criticized the prime minister, with Grassroots Conservatives chairman Ed Costelloe telling Sky News that Johnson should “go away with dignity” in the coming months.

“If he stays on as prime minister, the party is very unlikely to win the next election, which would mean some sort of coalition of Labour, Lib Dems and SNPs,” Costelloe said.