Johnson does not want to resign voluntarily.
(Photo: imago images/i Images)
London In the scandal surrounding lockdown parties in Downing Street, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not make it out of the negative headlines. After bailing out the day before with a militant appearance in Parliament, allegations of alleged blackmail tactics against unruly Tory MPs surfaced on Thursday. New revelations also raise doubts about Johnson’s sincerity.
He has received reports of extortion of MPs, the chairman of the House of Commons Administration and Constitutional Committee, William Wragg, said on Thursday. Conservative members of parliament suspected of disobeying the prime minister have been threatened by government officials with publishing compromising material in the press. Christian Wakeford MP, who defected to the Labor opposition on Wednesday, said he had been threatened that funding for a school in his constituency would not be approved unless he voted with the government.
Committee chairman Wragg is a Tory member himself and one of Johnson’s critics. He advised reporting to the police. Speaker of Parliament Lindsay Hoyle also expressed concern. Hoyle said that anyone who tries to use threats to prevent MPs from doing their jobs is guilty of contempt for Parliament. Johnson promised to look into the allegations but said he has not seen any evidence.
The Prime Minister is already counted because of the incessant revelations about lockdown parties in Downing Street, the seat of government. On Wednesday he showed himself combative at Question Time in Parliament and bought some time, it seems.
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No vote of no confidence for now
The attempt by a group of Tory MPs to initiate a vote of no confidence against him, dubbed the “Pork Pie Plot”, initially failed. So far, the hurdle of 54 supporters has not yet been reached. Even Wakeford’s sensational defection to the Labor opposition appears to have weakened rather than strengthened the rebellion. In addition, the announced lifting of all corona measures should have given Johnson some support, at least in certain circles.
But the Prime Minister also had to give up feathers: “In God’s name, go!” the former Brexit Minister and Tory veteran David Davis had smashed at him at the parliamentary session. The sensational demand for resignation “damaged” Johnson, Health Minister Sajid Javid admitted on Sky News on Thursday. He campaigned to wait for the internal investigation into the “Partygate” scandal involving lockdown parties at government headquarters, which is expected next week.
Javid acknowledged that if senior official Sue Gray’s report found him wrong, Johnson would have to resign. The regulations are clear. “Of course, if a cabinet member, starting with the prime minister, breaks the law, they should not continue to serve in the cabinet,” Javid said. “There is no exception to this rule.” Johnson himself dodged questions about the consequences of the report in an interview on Thursday. But the planned publication of the results of the internal investigation seems to be becoming more and more the prime minister’s moment of truth. There are already reports that cast doubt on whether Johnson actually knew nothing about lockdown parties at the seat of government, as claimed.
More: “Go in God’s name!” – Tories turn their backs on Boris Johnson