Boris Johnson survives no-confidence movement to retain his position as British Prime Minister

Europe, News June 8, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

A no-confidence movement was brought against the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson among 359 Conservative Members of Parliament (MP), but he survived with a 59% majority vote.

A majority of at least 180 votes from a total of 359 MPs could have made the no-confidence movement successful against the current British Prime Minister, however, only 148 MPs voted in favor of the no-confidence movement while Johnson survived the movement with the backing of 211 MPs.

Boris Johnson has been in hot waters since the ‘Partygate’ scandal surfaced. The Prime Minister has been under mounting pressure after the details surfaced about alcohol-fueled parties that he held in his official residence of 10 Downing Street, during a time when the rest of Britain was under a strict lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boris Johnson received a comparatively lower number of confidence votes compared to his predecessor and last Conservative British Prime Minster to face a party no-confidence vote, Thresa May. She won the party confidence movement with a 63% majority while Johnson could only attain a 59% majority.

Boris described the confidence vote as a ‘decisive’ approval from his colleagues, however, critics believe that the scale of the rebellion against him from the Conservative MPs showed his authority had been weakened, with some calling on him to resign.

Johnson, who became Prime Minister in 2019, was facing a vote on his leadership on June 5, while much of the media’s attention was focused on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The speculations about a no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister had been surfacing for quite some time.

^{British Prime Minister Johnson survived the no-confidence movement with the backing of 211 MPs, while 148 MPs voted in favor of the movement. (Image Credit: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association, via Associated Press)}

Dozens of Conservative lawmakers, especially the Tory MPs, have voiced concern that the 57 years old Johnson could be losing his authority to govern Britain. The country is facing the risk of recession, rising fuel, food prices, and strike-inflicted travel chaos in the capital London.

Although the voting was anonymous it was the Tory MPs from the Conservative party who came forward to show their dissatisfaction with Boris Johnson. The Tory rebels who voted against Johnson were insistent that the result had compromised the prime minister’s ability to lead.

Johnson’s cabinet of leading ministers highlights the successes of their government by quoting the event of COVID-19, prevention of economic threats and vaccinations efforts as well as Britain’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the hours before the ballot, Johnson told his party’s lawmakers he would shore up the economy and return to traditional Conservative policies such as cutting taxes.

The next general election in the UK is expected to be held in 2024. But it could be held earlier if Boris Johnson uses his powers to call one. The next tests for Johnson and his cabinet would be the by-elections where public voting could portray a picture of their popularity in the UK.