Today, as the Prime Minister tried to quell rumors that unhappy backbenchers would leave the party, Boris Johnson-supporting Conservative MPs mocked suggestions that some of them might join Labour.
As Sir Keir Starmer declined to deny chatting to Conservatives who were angry with Boris Johnson about joining the opposition, they cracked a number of jokes on Twitter.
The leader of the opposition stoked rumors that up to three lawmakers would leave their seats in protest at the way the government is going.
Brendan Clarke-Smith, a Cabinet Office assistant, posed for a photo with fellow Redwall actors Lee Anderson and Tom Hunt despite the allegations. They were holding representations of Sir Keir, a curry, and a beer bottle as a nod to the Beergate controversy.
When someone asked us to join the party, we assumed it would have beer and curry, Mr. Clarke-Smith tweeted. I apologize to @UKLabour for the miscommunication, and we won’t be leaving out of fear.
With the caption, “It’s crucial no stone is left unturned as we attempt to discover possible defectors to @UKLabour,” another Tory, Cabinet Office Politician Nigel Adams, shared a photo of himself and fellow fogeyish minister Jacob Rees-Mogg on social media.
During an interview at the G7 in Germany, Mr. Johnson rejected claims of defections as “political commentary.”
But today, he was the target of fresh challenges from different factions in the party.
Pauline Latham, a member of parliament for Mid-Derbyshire, was the most recent member to call on Cabinet Ministers to launch a revolution, telling the BBC: “The issue is that many of them think they’re going to keep their jobs for a long time and don’t want to.” But in reality, which is more crucial: your own career, the party, or the country?
After winning a vote of confidence earlier this month, Mr. Johnson is prohibited from taking on another challenge for a year by party regulations.
However, former Brexit minister Steve Baker today announced he will run for office on the influential 1922 Committee with the intention of changing the rules.
He claimed in an article for The Times that “our system of government depends on adherence to certain ideas and practices which are not a matter of law.” One of them is the sincerity with which ministers address the Commons.
Johnson would have to quit if the privileges committee determined that he intentionally deceived the Commons, the speaker continued.
If he didn’t quit under those circumstances, it might be necessary to act to have him removed. Making an unintentional mistake is one thing, but intentionally misleading people is inexcusable.
“Other events are predictable.” Action might be needed if the prime minister called a general election in an effort to delay the release of the privileges committee’s report.
“That too may require prompt action,” the article continued, “if, after an unfavorable report, a motion of confidence in the prime minister were put before the Commons and Conservative MPs instructed to vote for it under pain of losing the whip.”
It happened after many backbenchers emerged from hiding yesterday to deny they were among those looking to leave the party.
Dehenna Davison, an MP for Red Wall, and Caroline Nokes, a former minister, were among those to go on the record and tweet their denial of any plans to leave the party after fevered rumors once again rushed through Westminster.
Sir Keir was questioned about the rumors of defection chatter at a New Statesman event today and did not reject them. We would take a lot of time if we pursued every rumor that was going about Westminster, he said.
What I can say, though, is that given the outcome in Wakefield last week, I would be very concerned about the outcome of the next general election if I were a Tory MP. After all, that was a terrific result for us.
Additionally, the Labour Party is optimistic and upbeat, and we really believe in what we are doing.
In the meantime, other Tory backbenchers have started a new campaign to oust Mr. Johnson as party leader.
After the party’s collapse in Tiverton and Wakefield, the mood among Conservatives at home is still sour; the premier’s weekend declaration that he intends to remain in No. 10 for another ten years hasn’t helped.
William Wragg, the chairman of the Commons Public Administration Committee and a Tory, said yesterday on BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that while Mr. Johnson is still prime minister, his own seat and that of colleagues “with majorities far larger than mine” are in jeopardy.
The Liberal Democrats reversed the Conservatives’ 24,000 majority in the by-election in the Devon constituency of Tiverton and Honiton after a remarkable swing of over 30% from the Conservatives.
With a majority of 4,925 and a Tory swing of 12.7%, Labour retook Wakefield in West Yorkshire.
On Times Radio today, Chris Philp, the minister for technology and the digital economy, was questioned about if the Prime Minister would step down if it was determined by the Commons Privileges Committee that he deceived MPs by claiming that Covid laws were followed in No. 10.
In light of the past few rocky days for Boris Johnson’s leadership, the junior minister declared he would refrain from speculating on any future findings from the committee.
“The PM has been clear that he did not intentionally mislead Parliament and that everything he said to Parliament at various times was based on what he thought at the time, given the knowledge he had at the time,” the statement reads.
The Northern Ireland Protocol is being fixed, and the Prime Minister is working to ensure that our economy is performing as well as it possibly can, Mr. Philp continued.
Despite the repeated calls for him to resign, Mr. Johnson told the BBC yesterday that he still has the power to carry out the Government’s objective.
The Prime Minister declared: “I not only have the authority, I’ve got a new mandate from my party, which I’m really happy about,” during the G7 conference in Germany.
“I’m focused on what I’m doing as the country’s leader, and it’s driving a big, massive agenda,” he continued.
“That is a tremendous, tremendous honor to do.” Nobody gives up a privilege in that way.
There hasn’t been a mandate like the one the public gave us in 2019 for the Conservative Party; it’s a mandate to change the nation, to come together, and to level up, and that’s what we’re going to do.
Last night, Tory lawmakers warned Mr. Johnson that it would be difficult for him to pass his Northern Ireland Bill through the Commons.
The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill received a second reading from MPs by a vote of 295 to 221 with a majority of 74, opening the door for further examination in the coming days.
However, more than 70 Tories chose to abstain, and although some were permitted to miss the vote—up to 30—a hardcore of about 40 warned the PM that he would be facing a mutiny if he moved forward.
Theresa May attacked Boris Johnson’s ideas and delivered him a political beating as her replacement.
In the Commons, Mrs. May delivered ice cold retaliation for being defenestrated by Tories loyal to Mr. Johnson in 2019 for her attempts to reach a deal with Brussels.
The former prime minister delivered a scathing statement, warning MPs that the Government’s attempt to act unilaterally over the Northern Ireland Protocol was wrong, would fail, and would “diminish the stature of the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world.”
And in a scathing rebuke to the PM, she implied that he was in a position of weakness comparable to the one she was in following a vote of no confidence in her leadership.
141 of his MPs demanded his resignation during his own no-confidence vote earlier this month, which he overcame.
The former prime minister gave a speech in the House of Commons as lawmakers discussed the government’s plan to repeal significant portions of the Protocol.
She appeared to criticize Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for declaring that she supported the bill because she was a “patriot” in addition to criticizing Mr. Johnson.