British Prime Minister Johnson under pressure: How will the vote of no confidence work?

Great Britain’s Prime Minister Johnson has to face a no-confidence vote from his own party in the evening. What happens if he survives the vote? What if he loses? Questions and answers about the process at a glance.

How did the Conservatives vote of no confidence come about?

At least 15 percent of the 359 Conservative MPs in the British House of Commons had to write to the responsible party committee to declare that they no longer had any confidence in the prime minister. In this case 54 letters were necessary. Committee Chair Graham Brady said the threshold had been crossed and scheduled a morning vote for Monday between 7pm and 9pm (CEST). The result should be announced at 10 p.m. German time.

How does the vote of no confidence work?

All 359 Conservative MPs have voting rights. To survive the vote, Johnson needs a majority of 180 votes of confidence in him.

What happens if Johnson survives the vote?

If Johnson wins, no further no-confidence vote can be initiated against him for the next 12 months. However, the political pressure on him could continue to rise.

What happens if Johnson loses?

If Johnson loses, he must resign and cannot run for his party’s election of a new prime minister. If there are several candidates for his successor, the Conservative MPs will vote in secret for several days until there are only two names left on the ballot paper – the candidate with the fewest votes is deleted. The party members then vote by post to decide which of the two remaining candidates will become the new prime minister.

Who could follow Johnson?

Foreign Minister Liz Truss and Finance Minister Rishi Sunak are being traded as Johnson’s successors. Truss always ranks high in her party’s favor in polls. Sunak has long been considered a favourite, but has recently lost popularity. Sunak has also had to pay fines for attending parties during lockdown. Opportunities are also given to former Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt, former Secretary of Defense Penny Mordaunt and current Secretary of Education Nadhim Zahawi.