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Conservatives split over calls for PM to resign

Johnson

Conservatives split over calls for PM to resign

Tension is growing amongst the Conservative party, with MP’s split in their opinions on whether or not the Prime Minister should resign.

While cabinet ministers have rallied to Boris Johnson’s side as he faces mounting pressure to resign some senior Tory MP’s have asked him to step down.

During PMQ’s Mr Johnson was overwhelmed by criticism from the opposition, with Labour leader Keir Starmer leading calls for him to “do the decent thing and resign.”

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Douglas Ross and other senior backbenchers called for the PM to stand down.

Mr Ross said he would write to the 1922 Committee, which organises Conservative leadership contests, to register his lack of confidence in the prime minister.

A minimum of 54 Conservative MPs must send letters to the committee in order to trigger a leadership challenge.

However, some cabinet ministers have asked MPs to wait for the outcome of the inquiry into number 10.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told BBC Breakfast: “You’ve got to let these investigations get to the full details and the full facts.”

Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg came to the Prime Ministers defence saying he has “consistently made the right decisions on Covid”.

He then suggested that the lockdown rules may have been too tough when a drinks event took place in the Downing Street garden in May 2020.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak tweeted his support for Mr Johnson eight hours after the PMQ’s, stating: “I’ve been on a visit all day today continuing work on our PlanForJobs as well as meeting MPs to discuss the energy situation. The PM was right to apologise and I support his request for patience while Sue Gray carries out her enquiry.”

Unlike other Tory ministers, the Chancellor was not at the Prime Ministers side in the commons.

A recent poll revealed that almost half of Conservative members believe Chancellor Rishi Sunak would make a better Prime Minister than Boris Johnson.

In the poll by Yougov for Sky News, a third of members (34 per cent) thought that Boris Johnson should resign.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss was second in that list, with a quarter (25 per cent) of those polled wanting her to succeed Johnson if he stood down.

Mr Johnson’s visit to the vaccination clinic in Lancashire was cancelled after a member of his family tested positive for Covid.

A Downing Street spokesperson said that he will follow official guidance, including taking daily tests and limiting contact with other people.

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Ellie joined Gi Media in July 2021.