Status: 01/19/2022 03:39 a.m
Does the much-criticized British Prime Minister Johnson still have the confidence of his Conservative Party? Things are bubbling behind the scenes, and more and more Tories seem to be sawing his chair. Johnson could already run out of breath politically today.
The opponents of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson within the party sense their chance for rebellion. As several British media reported during the night, numerous MPs from his Conservative Party want to express their distrust in the head of government. It is quite possible that the 54 votes needed for a vote of no confidence in Johnson will be achieved.
“His time is up,” the Telegraph reporter Hope quoted a member of parliament as saying. Already today, Wednesday, Johnson is threatened with “D-Day”, the day of the decision.
There would be a vote of no confidence in the group if 15 percent of the 360 Conservative MPs voted against Johnson – which corresponds to 54 votes. 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.
“I think we made it”
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 badly damaged. “I think we did it,” well-connected BBC reporter Laura Kuenssberg quoted a Tory protesting against Johnson as saying.
ITV presenter Robert Peston tweeted that several Conservative MPs agreed Johnson must go. It is just not yet clear whether they are already pushing ahead or waiting until the publication of an internal investigation report. So far, seven Tory MPs have expressed their distrust in the prime minister, but behind the scenes there has been talk of at least 30 rebels. According to the Times count, 58 MPs publicly criticized Johnson.
The fact that the new votes are said to be members of parliament who only came into parliament as a result of Johnson’s brilliant election victory in 2019 caused a stir. They met at Alicia Kearns’ office on Tuesday. Because their constituency around Melton Mowbray is known for pork pies, the media are talking about a “pork pie coup”.
Johnson denies allegations
Johnson had denied allegations by his ex-adviser Dominic Cummings on Tuesday that he lied about the “Partygate” affair. No one drew his attention to the fact that an event in May 2020 in the garden of his official residence could violate the corona requirements in force at the time, the prime minister asserted. The Guardian newspaper called the interview with Sky News, in which Johnson repeatedly stuttered and struggled for words, “devastating”.
The 57-year-old was met with widespread ridicule. “Nobody warned me party was breaking rules, says man who made the rules,” headlined the Independent newspaper.
Johnson meets critics
Johnson has been fighting for office for weeks. In order to take the wind out of critics’ sails, he wants to lift some corona rules on Wednesday – as has long been demanded by conservative hardliners – which he had only reintroduced shortly before Christmas due to the spread of the Omicron variant. These include the requirement to work from home if possible, as well as vaccination certificates as a condition for participation in larger events. In addition, the mask requirement in shops and local public transport is to be lifted again, as the BBC reported.
The end of the measures is considered a central point of Johnson’s plan to appease his party, dubbed “Operation Red Meat” – “raw meat” to be thrown at critical MPs. This also includes projects such as an end to the BBC subscription payments and the use of the military against migrants in the English Channel.
Johnson does not rule out resignation
However, the Tory rebels do not seem to be dissuaded from their plan. The prime minister could only be saved by the fact that there is no clear challenger for his opponents to rally behind. Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who had publicly pledged her full support to Johnson, and Finance Minister Rishi Sunak are considered possible successors. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has so far avoided making a commitment to the Prime Minister and has recently made himself rare.
Johnson did not explicitly rule out resigning on Tuesday either. He wanted to wait for the result of the internal investigation, he said. The report could be published as early as Friday, but a later date is also possible, it said in London. On Wednesday, the prime minister traditionally faces the MPs in the lower house.