The charismatic leader, renowned for his ability to connect with voters, has struggled to turn the page over recent revelations that he and his staff repeatedly organized alcohol parties, which imposed COVID- flouting 19 restrictions.
Still, with no clear front-runner to succeed Johnson, most political observers think he will defeat the challenge and remain prime minister. But the fact that enough legislators are seeking votes represents a pivotal moment for him – and a narrow victory will leave him a spirited leader whose days may be numbered. It is also a sign of deep conservative divisions, less than three years after Johnson led the party to its biggest electoral victory in decades.
Since then, Johnson has pulled Britain out of the European Union and through a pandemic that has shaken Britain socially and economically. The vote comes as Johnson’s government is under intense pressure to ease the pain of skyrocketing energy and food bills
Conservative Party official Graham Brady announced Monday that he has received letters for a no-confidence vote from at least 54 Tory legislators, enough to trigger the measure under party rules. Hours later, party lawmakers queued up a dozen in a corridor in parliament to vote in a wood-paneled room, handing over their phones as they entered to ensure privacy. The results were expected after Monday night.
To stay in office, Johnson needs the support of a simple majority of 359 Conservative lawmakers. If he does not do so, the party will elect a new leader, who will also become the Prime Minister.
Johnson’s Downing Street office said the prime minister welcomed the vote as “an opportunity to end months of speculation and allow the government to draw a line and move forward”.
Johnson addressed dozens of Conservative lawmakers in a room in the House of Commons on Monday as he tried to garner support, saying: “I’ll lead you to victory again.”
Months of discontent erupted after a 10-day parliamentary break, including a long weekend of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. For many, the four-day break was a chance to rest – but was no respite for Johnson, who arrived at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday for a service in honor of the Queen, cheered by some onlookers.
Brady said some lawmakers who submitted no-confidence letters had asked to hold him back until after the jubilee weekend – but even so, the threshold was reached on Sunday.
Johnson’s aides insist he will remain in office if he wins by a single vote. But previous prime ministers who survived the no-confidence vote have been seriously undermined. Theresa May, for example, won one in 2018 but never regained her authority and resigned within months, fueling a leadership contest won by Johnson.
His selection in July 2019 limited a rollercoaster journey to the top. He had held key positions, including Mayor of London and the UK’s Foreign Secretary, but he also spent time at political juncture after instigating himself. He kept bouncing back, showing an unusual ability to deflect scandal and connect with voters that, for many conservatives, cast doubts about his morality or judgment.
But concerns emerged late last month after an investigatory report criticized the rule-breaking culture inside the prime minister’s office in a scandal called “Partygate”.
Civil Service investigator Sue Gray describes alcohol-fueled fundraisers organized by Downing Street staff in 2020 and 2021, when pandemic restrictions prevented UK residents from socializing or even visiting relatives who died.
Gray said the “senior leadership team” should take responsibility for “failures of leadership and judgment”.
Johnson was also fined 50 pounds ($63) by police for attending a party, making him the first prime minister acknowledged for breaking the law while in office.
The prime minister said he was “polite” and took “full responsibility” – but insisted he would not resign. He urged Britons to “move on” and focus on healing the battered economy and helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
But a growing number of Conservatives think Johnson now has an obligation that would doom him to defeat him at the next election, which should take place by 2024.
“Today’s decision is change or defeat,” said Jeremy Hunt, who ran against Johnson for the Conservative leadership in 2019. “I will vote for change.”
Lawmaker Jesse Norman, a longtime supporter of Johnson, said the prime minister “presided over a culture of accidental law breaking” and left the government “unchanged and distracted”.
Another Tory legislator, John Penrose, stepped down on Monday as the prime minister’s “anti-corruption champion”, saying Johnson had violated the government code of conduct with the behavior revealed by Partygate.
But senior ministers offered messages of support for Johnson – including some who will likely take part in the Conservative leadership contest that will begin if he is ousted.
“The Prime Minister has 100% support in today’s vote and I strongly encourage allies to support him,” Liz Truss, the preferred foreign secretary to replace Johnson, wrote in a tweet.
If he wins Monday’s vote, Johnson could face more pressure. The war in Ukraine, a post-Brexit turmoil with the European Union and rising inflation are weighing heavily on the government, and conservatives could lose special elections for two parliamentary districts later this month when Tory lawmakers are left facing a sex scandal. was forced by ,
Johnson tried to focus on those broader issues, noting that he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday. He has been a vocal supporter of the cause of Ukraine, a stance shared by his potential successors.
Johnson’s aide, Cabinet Minister Steve Barkley, said toppling the leader would now be “inevitable”.
“The problems we face are not easy to solve,” he wrote on the Conservative Home website, but the Conservatives have the right plan for dealing with them.
“To disrupt that progress would now be unforgivable for the many people who first voted for us in the last general election, and who want to carry out the changes our prime minister has made for their communities.”