Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, is facing a vote on Monday that may see him removed from office, as a rising number of legislators in his own Conservative Party turned against him following months of scandal.
Following the disclosure of a succession of Covid lockdown-busting parties inside his No. 10 Downing St. apartment and office over the past two years, the prime minister has sparked outrage across the country. Police penalized him and dozens of others for the gatherings, despite the fact that they had earlier denied breaching any rules.
Discontent has been building for weeks, but party officials announced early Monday that a “vote of confidence” in the prime minister will be held later that day. This is triggered by party rules when 15% of its members of Parliament — now 54 MPs — write formal letters demanding that their leader resign.
The vote of confidence, like most British politics, is a mysterious and clandestine procedure. And until recently, only one individual, Graham Brady, head of the 1922 Committee, which represents backbench Conservative members, knew the total number of letters.
He stated on Monday that the threshold for a vote had been met. Between 6 and 8 p.m. local time, a secret ballot will be held in Parliament. Johnson requires the support of more than half of Conservative MPs, which he now has with 180 votes.
If Boris Johnson loses, a leadership fight between his party’s competitors will be held to replace him, albeit he will stay Prime Minister until the winner is determined.
Boris Johnson Is Under A Lot Of Pressure Along With Inner Turmoil
Johnson will be protected from any additional challenges for the next 12 months if he wins the secret ballot. Brady pointed out on Monday that these rules can be amended, and that the ruthless Conservative Party has a history of deposing leaders who have won no-confidence votes.
In response to mounting pressure, the government launched an investigation, which revealed a widespread culture of alcoholic parties — 16 in total — complete with punch-ups and vomit on the walls. Staff left the building after 4 a.m. on one occasion, just hours before the queen was forced to sit alone at Prince Philip’s burial due to Covid restrictions.
Following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department, 126 people were fined, including Boris Johnson and his wife. It made him the first sitting Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to be found guilty of breaking the law. But it isn’t simply party gate that has sparked outrage.
Boris Johnson has already been accused of sleaze, and his government has been chastised for efforts to overturn its own Brexit accord in Northern Ireland, attempts to centralize authority away from Parliament, and its policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda
