UK Conservative MPs to hold no confidence vote on Johnson

Conservative MPs are to hold a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson later today, party officials said.

The vote will take place this evening, between 6pm and 8pm, said MP Graham Brady, who chairs the Conservative Party's obscure 1922 committee, made up all backbench lawmakers.

Johnson has come under increasing pressure after breaking Covid rules on gatherings, known as 'Partygate', and became the first prime minister to be found guilty of an offence while in office when he received a fine for illegally attending a party during pandemic restrictions.

Brady said he told Johnson yesterday that the 15% threshold had been reached when at least 54 MPs submitted letters of no confidence in the PM.

To remain in office, Johnson needs to win the support of at least 50% of all Tory MPs plus one, totalling 180. A victory would make him safe from such a challenge for a year – although the rules can be changed.

Critics of Johnson say he is unfit to hold office after revelations that numerous parties were held at 10 Downing Street during Covid lockdowns, his official residence, with aides getting drunk, throwing up and abusing security staff and cleaners.

They point to his elastic relationship with the truth - on multiple occasions he denied parties were held, despite clear photographic evidence to the contrary, followed by more refutations that he was present.

This led to widespread accusations that Johnson's administration operated a “one rule for them” policy while millions of people were forced to stay at home and obey the rules he put in place.

There is also widespread criticism of his failure to deliver on key policy pledges while overseeing the biggest rise in the tax burden in decades and coming up with ways to alleviate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on low income earners.