Which Tory MPs are calling for Boris to resign? PM branded no longer ‘worthy’

Jeremy Vine: Caller says 'Boris Johnson makes her sick'

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Last week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was issued with and paid a £50 fine for breaking his own coronavirus rules by attending a birthday celebration on June 19, 2020. Mr Johnson claimed it “did not occur” to him that a birthday party thrown for him would breach lockdown rules. But his bluster is failing to win over some members of his own party.

Who is calling for a resignation?

Mark Harper, a former Tory whip, tweeted a letter to the chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives stating that he no longer has confidence in Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.

He said on Tuesday: “I regret to say that we have a Prime Minister who broke the laws that he told the country they had to follow, hasn’t been straightforward about it and is now going to ask the decent men and women on these benches to defend what I think is indefensible.

“I’m very sorry to have to say this, but I no longer think he is worthy of the great office that he holds.”

And he’s not the only one. Last week Nigel Mills, the Tory MP for Amber Valley, said he no longer believes Mr Johnson is “tenable” in No 10.

Speaking to BBC Radio Derby after the announcement of Mr Johnson’s fixed penalty notice, Mr Mills said: “In all conscience, I don’t think a Prime Minister can survive or should survive breaking the rules he put in place and he was on the TV every few nights, reminding us all that we should observe.

“We have to have higher standards than that of people at the top. He has been fined, I don’t think his position is tenable, in my view.”

Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson echoed the sentiments and said he “categorically will not defend the indefensible” and that “the situation is untenable”.

Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk added he was “not prepared to defend” the Prime Minister.

Conservative former cabinet minister Karen Bradley has also suggested that Mr Johnson should quit, calling his behaviour during lockdown “unforgivable”.

Elsewhere, Tory Lord Wolfson quit as a justice minister last week, saying that he had come to the “inevitable conclusion that there was repeated rule-breaking, and breaches of the criminal law, in Downing Street”.

DON’T MISS
‘Utterly cynical manoeuvre’ John Cleese lashes out at Tories [REPORT]
What is the Ministerial Code? 5 times politicians resigned [EXPLAINER]
Nicola Sturgeon SHOULD be fined for breaking covid restrictions – POLL [INSIGHT]

Could a vote of no confidence take place?

For a vote of no confidence to take place, 15 percent of Tory MPs need to send letters to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1992 Committee.

This means 54 MPs need to have lost faith in the Prime Minister – but until the number needed is reached, Sir Graham keeps the letters secret.

House Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on Tuesday granted Labour a vote on whether there should be an investigation by the Commons’ privileges or standards committees into whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament when he said, prior to the Metropolitan Police investigation, that he did not know of any parties in Downing Street during lockdowns.

Although the parliamentary vote is unlikely to succeed given Mr Johnson’s 80 seat majority, but it will force the hand of MPs who have remained quiet to show whether they support the Prime Minister or not.

Source: Read Full Article