“His time is up”
Tory rebellion against Johnson intensifies
01/19/2022 01:42 am
Revelations about Corona parties in Downing Street put Boris Johnson in distress. Dissatisfaction is also growing in their own ranks. The Prime Minister may soon face a vote of no confidence.
According to media reports, the party’s internal rebellion against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is picking up speed. Up to 20 Tory MPs wanted to issue letters of no confidence on Wednesday, the well-connected Telegraph reporter Christopher Hope wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening. It is quite possible that the 54 votes needed for a vote of no confidence in Johnson will be achieved. “His time is up,” Hope quoted a parliamentarian as saying. Usually well-informed reporters from other media confirmed the information.
There would be a vote if 15 percent of the 360 Conservative MPs – those 54 MPs – express their distrust in Johnson. In a secret ballot in the parliamentary group, the prime minister would then have to get at least 50 percent of the members on his side in order to survive the vote. So far, only seven MPs have publicly voiced their distrust in the prime minister, but bigger things seem to be brewing behind the scenes.
Johnson has been under considerable pressure for weeks over revelations about parties at government headquarters during the corona lockdown. His reputation among the population and the party is already considered to be badly damaged.
Johnson has been fighting for office for weeks. On Wednesday, as requested by conservative hardliners, he wants to announce that he will lift some corona rules that he only reintroduced shortly before Christmas due to the spread of the omicron variant. This includes the requirement to work from home if possible and the submission of vaccination certificates for participation in larger events. The mask requirement in shops and local public transport should also end, as the BBC reported.