Boris Johnson to remain prime minister after winning confidence vote - ITV News
- 2 years ago
Boris Johnson is to remain prime minister after scraping through a confidence vote aimed at ousting him.
The under-fire PM won with just 59% of the vote as a huge 148 Tory MPs said they wanted him replacing - a highly damaging result for the PM.
Just 211 Tory MPs supported him out of all 359 who cast their ballots.
However, Mr Johnson insisted it was an “extremely good” result.
“I think it’s an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery and that is exactly what we are going to do,” he told reporters in Downing Street.
The PM also ruled out a snap election in order to gain a new mandate from the public, insisting he was focused on the public’s priorities.
Under Conservative Party rules, Mr Johnson is exempt from another confidence vote for another year, however the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories is able to change those rules at any time.
The fact Mr Johnson faced a confidence vote at all is a huge blow for the once-hugely popular prime minister but the margin of his win means it's possible he may never recover.
Mr Johnson won a lower majority (59% for, 41% against) than his predecessor Theresa May, who was forced to resign six months after winning with 63% in a confidence vote.
She was irreparably damaged despite winning and she was pushed out amid concern on the backbenches that she was unable to win votes in the Commons on her Brexit plan.
Mr Johnson, who took her place, is in a different position to his predecessor, however, because his huge majority means it's likely he'll continue to beat the opposition in the Commons.
But backbenchers who today for the first time revealed their lack of confidence in the PM may become more vocal critics in the coming weeks.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson was "utterly unfit for the great office he holds" and accused Tory MPs of ignoring the British public.
He said: "The Conservative Government now believes that breaking the law is no impediment to making the law."
But Tory MPs backing Mr Johnson were quick out the blocks to offer their support.Liz Truss and Michael Gove have tweeted their support for Boris Johnson after his victory in Monday's confidence vote.
The foreign secretary tweeted: "Pleased that colleagues have backed the prime minister.
"I support him 100%. Now's the time to get on with the job."
The housing secretary said it is time to "focus on the people's priorities" now that the Prime Minister has "secured" the trust of his MPs.
The under-fire PM won with just 59% of the vote as a huge 148 Tory MPs said they wanted him replacing - a highly damaging result for the PM.
Just 211 Tory MPs supported him out of all 359 who cast their ballots.
However, Mr Johnson insisted it was an “extremely good” result.
“I think it’s an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery and that is exactly what we are going to do,” he told reporters in Downing Street.
The PM also ruled out a snap election in order to gain a new mandate from the public, insisting he was focused on the public’s priorities.
Under Conservative Party rules, Mr Johnson is exempt from another confidence vote for another year, however the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories is able to change those rules at any time.
The fact Mr Johnson faced a confidence vote at all is a huge blow for the once-hugely popular prime minister but the margin of his win means it's possible he may never recover.
Mr Johnson won a lower majority (59% for, 41% against) than his predecessor Theresa May, who was forced to resign six months after winning with 63% in a confidence vote.
She was irreparably damaged despite winning and she was pushed out amid concern on the backbenches that she was unable to win votes in the Commons on her Brexit plan.
Mr Johnson, who took her place, is in a different position to his predecessor, however, because his huge majority means it's likely he'll continue to beat the opposition in the Commons.
But backbenchers who today for the first time revealed their lack of confidence in the PM may become more vocal critics in the coming weeks.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson was "utterly unfit for the great office he holds" and accused Tory MPs of ignoring the British public.
He said: "The Conservative Government now believes that breaking the law is no impediment to making the law."
But Tory MPs backing Mr Johnson were quick out the blocks to offer their support.Liz Truss and Michael Gove have tweeted their support for Boris Johnson after his victory in Monday's confidence vote.
The foreign secretary tweeted: "Pleased that colleagues have backed the prime minister.
"I support him 100%. Now's the time to get on with the job."
The housing secretary said it is time to "focus on the people's priorities" now that the Prime Minister has "secured" the trust of his MPs.