UK partygate fallout increasing chance of Boris Johnson leadership challenge
- A damning official report last week detailed illegal parties at Downing Street during Covid-19 lockdowns
- It has prompted a new wave of calls from Conservatives for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step aside
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increasing hostility from his own MPs, with Conservative Party whips said to be discussing how to fight back if rebels trigger an all-important confidence vote in his leadership.
More than 20 Conservative lawmakers have publicly called for Johnson to quit since the reports of lockdown-breaking parties began to steadily drip into the media. At least 54 are required to formally request a confidence vote for one to be triggered.
On Monday, three new names surfaced and a fourth MP resubmitted letter of no confidence he previously withdrew in light of the Ukraine crisis.
Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen emailed his North West Leicestershire constituents on Monday to say he has resubmitted his letter of no confidence in Johnson following “further revelations over the past week”, which saw the publication of the long-awaited Sue Gray “partygate” report.
He originally submitted a letter in January 2022 but withdrew it in March, arguing it was not appropriate to hold a confidence vote amid the fighting in Ukraine.
Earlier, former attorney general Jeremy Wright said events in Downing Street had caused “real and lasting damage” to the government’s authority and that he had concluded “with regret” that Johnson should go.