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LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting for his political life on Wednesday as more ministers and aides continued to leave his government and a former senior cabinet minister issued a scathing criticism of Johnson’s leadership.
Johnson has been trying to deflect from Tuesday’s dramatic events, which saw the bombshell resignations of two of his most senior cabinet ministers – Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid – both of whom have their own power bases within the party and it is believed , to be future contenders for leadership.
Johnson’s efforts to quickly fill the top roles did not stem the tide of further — albeit younger — resignations. In a 24-hour period, at least 21 Conservative politicians resigned from their posts in protest at Johnson’s leadership.
The resignations, which followed a series of scandals, raised many questions: How long can Johnson survive? Is this the end for Johnson? Is there a way to kick it out?
In a heated session of the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions, Johnson dismissed those calling for his resignation.
Asked by a fellow Conservative if there were any circumstances in which he should step down, Johnson said he would quit if the government could not continue. “Honestly, the job of a prime minister in difficult circumstances, when you’re given a colossal mandate, is to move forward and that’s what I’m going to do.
In a sign of the mood of the session, at one point a group of MPs from the opposition Labor Party waved at Johnson, shouting “Bye”.
Javid, the former health secretary whose resignation led to the exodus, lashed out at the prime minister, telling parliament that “in recent months it has become impossible to walk the tightrope between loyalty and integrity”. He said he was told by senior figures at the end of last year that there were no parties in Downing Street during pandemic lockdowns. A police investigation into “Partygate” resulted in 126 fines, including one for Johnson.
UK ‘Partygate’ probe ends with 126 fines, no more citations for Boris Johnson
Javid added that “this week again we have reason to question the veracity and integrity of what everyone has told us,” he said, referring to a separate scandal involving Chris Pincher, who recently quit as deputy chief whip following allegations that attacked two men in a drunken state. Downing Street initially said Johnson was unaware of any previous allegations of misconduct when the prime minister gave Pincher a key government post, but later backtracked to admit Johnson was aware of an investigation. which confirmed similar complaints in 2019.
The resignations of senior British ministers and the plight of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government dominated the headlines in British newspapers on July 6. (Video: Reuters)
“The problem starts at the top,” Javid said.
As Javid spoke, another minister left.
Boris Johnson’s latest scandal has led to the resignation of senior ministers
The majority of the British public think Johnson should throw in the towel. A YouGov poll published on Tuesday found that 69 percent of Britons think Johnson should resign – including a majority of Conservative voters (54 percent).
Only 18 percent of Britons think Johnson should stay.
Johnson has made it clear that – if it were up to him – he would stay where he is. And under current Conservative Party rules, there is no official way for Johnson’s critics to get rid of him quickly. Since Johnson narrowly survived a no-confidence vote by his party last month, he is officially barred from further party challenges for a year.
Rob Ford, a political expert at the University of Manchester, drew parallels with 2016, when there were mass resignations from the opposition Labor shadow cabinet after the Brexit vote, aimed at ousting Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn. While some leaders may have read the room and decided to stand down, Ford said, Corbyn did not and remains leader until spring 2020.
“Equally, with Johnson, there is widespread opposition to his leadership. You have a leader who will not bow to informal pressure to leave, and the only formal mechanism you have is not available. So you’re in a state of limbo,” Ford said.
Boris Johnson survives but is weakened by a vote of no confidence
There has been a lot of talk in recent days about how the party rules could be changed. And in the coming days, Conservative MPs will elect new members to the powerful 1922 Committee, which sets the rules. Some of those vying for roles have suggested they would support allowing another no-confidence vote.
Meanwhile, the number of resignations, including from former loyal employees, continued to grow. Analysts say Johnson is lucky because the reasons given for the loss of faith appear to be varied – his critics do not coalesce around one issue, as did those who helped get rid of Theresa May, Johnson’s predecessor, when they abandoned her.
Ford said that while Johnson could be limping along until another confidence vote is held, the chances of him leading the Conservative Party into the next general election, due in 2025, appear slim.
“At the very least, a new vote of confidence becomes possible after 11 months. “What exactly will change between now and then to restore confidence in Johnson?” Ford asked. “At this point, I think it would take something close to a biblical miracle. Nothing can be ruled out with the luckiest politician in British politics, but it will take something extraordinary.
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