Boris Johnson’s furious lawmakers worry his next move could be fatal

The continuing fall in the prime minister’s electoral ratings over the past few weeks has sparked a series of crises and his party is beginning to ask whether the next crisis could be fatal.

Another unnecessary hit could prompt backbenchers to submit secret letters that could trigger a vote of no confidence. Or it could be Johnson’s cabinet aides who have a quiet word to say when their time is up, as they did in the 1990s in the final round of Margaret Thatcher’s premiership.

According to John Curtis, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, it is the senior ministers who pose the most immediate danger.

Curtis said, “Does the majority of the cabinet come to the conclusion that they are no longer willing to bat for him?” “That’s toast at the time.”

A chaotic sequence of events reached its nadir for the prime minister on Wednesday, with no one from the government going out to defend him over an alleged party at his Downing Street residence that violated Covid restrictions at the height of the pandemic. Was.

This moment brought into sharp focus some of Johnson’s criticisms: his steadfast denial as the evidence piled up against him, his readiness to send others to carry the can, and rule-breaking as many as 1,000s. His apparent ability to turn a blind eye has people across the country letting their relatives die alone rather than risk spreading the virus.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid also pulled out of a planned round of interviews after a video surfaced in which the number 10 colleague was mocking the issue.

Former cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell told the BBC on Thursday: “The history of the Conservative Party is full of brutality on these occasions.”

With many of his own lawmakers publicly questioning Johnson’s ability to govern, the prime minister this week faced a major revolt over tighter Covid rules and a tough by-election on a secure Conservative seat. Had to do

Growing problems are already undermining Johnson’s authority with his party: On Wednesday, Tory lawmakers publicly spoke in the House of Commons over the government’s decision to introduce vaccine passports to people to work from home and in large venues. lined up to attack.

“They are not afraid of any consequences for this,” said Alice Lilly, a senior researcher at the Institute for Government think tank.

Johnson has always had an uneasy relationship with the Conservative Party.

He has never dazzled in his previous ministerial roles and has no loyalty to any particular group of MPs. Suddenly after Theresa May passed away in 2019, her charm and personality – and her victory as the unofficial face of Brexit – made her irresistible.

That honeymoon period is fine now and really is over.

More than half of respondents in two polls on Wednesday think Johnson should resign, while a third on Friday gave Keir Starmer’s Labor Party a four-point lead – the Tories’ worst poll rating in 11 months.

For all speculation, there is yet no sign of any immediate challenge to Johnson around which his opponents may rally. And although Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are both said to be quietly preparing themselves for a possible leadership campaign, the prime minister is also receiving support from his cabinet.

Trade Minister Paul Scully told the BBC on Friday: “I feel very comfortable about the honesty of the Prime Minister. Frankly, I don’t feel comfortable about the fact that it has been a difficult week for the Government. “

The Christmas holiday will close the Parliamentary Theater and provide an opportunity to reset. If he doesn’t establish control by the end of January, his opponents – either on the backbench or in cabinet – may feel ready to go against him, according to a Tory figure.

Tory lawmakers, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they have been left high and dry by a government that has led to controversial votes, only to return the next day. He said Johnson has failed to shut down harmful stories by being open and truthful from the start. And they are dismayed that none of No. 10 was able to prevent mistakes like trying to protect former minister Owen Patterson, who was found guilty of paid lobbying.

It was Patterson’s handling of the case that began to unravel Johnson and many of his problems will be in focus again when voters in North Shropshire elect his successor on Thursday – the Liberal Democrats distributing leaflets that are realistically at odds with Johnson’s allies. The opposite of celebration. Last year by most people.

A party official said the scandal over the Christmas party has activated the Lib Dem campaign in the past week.

The defeat of the Tories in this rural, predominantly pro-Brexit district would be a major blow to Johnson’s credibility. Patterson held the seat in 2019 with a majority of about 23,000, more than 60% of the vote.

But it is the series of revelations about Downing Street parties and Johnson’s role in them that may pose the greatest danger.

The premier is alleged to have held several parties across the government in the winter of 2020, as the country faced severe restrictions on socializing, with people unable to even visit relatives who died in hospital .

Three of the alleged gatherings in Whitehall – one of which Johnson is said to have attended – are now being investigated by Simon Case, Britain’s top civil servant. Several Tory lawmakers said they fear the government’s credibility has been severely undermined and people will refuse to comply with the new COVID rules.

William Rag, a Tory MP, bluntly told Johnson in the House of Commons that it was a “deviation strategy” designed to distract from his own problems.

The new rules would pass, thanks to the support of opposition parties, but a major revolt would do serious damage to Johnson.

Another backbencher said he expected many MPs to decide that Tuesday is the right day to knock on doors in North Shropshire to avoid a vote, especially with ministerial aides failing to support the government. will lose your job.

“People don’t trust Boris Johnson’s word of mouth at this point in time,” said Chris Curtis, senior research manager at polling company Opinium.

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed.