7 June 2022 04:57 am
LONDON, June 6 Reuters- Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a confidence vote on Monday after a growing number of lawmakers in his Conservative Party questioned the British leader’s authority over what has been dubbed the “partygate” scandal.
Johnson, who scored a sweeping election victory in 2019, has been under growing pressure after he and staff held alcohol-fuelled parties at the heart of power when Britain was under strict lockdowns to tackle the spread of COVID-19.
Underlining the depth of anger, he was met with a chorus of jeers and boos - and some muted cheers - at events to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in recent days.
A majority of the 359 Conservative lawmakers - at least 180 - would have to vote against Johnson for him to be removed - a level some Conservatives say might be difficult to reach, given the lack of an obvious successor. If the PM loses, there would be a leadership contest to decide his replacement, which could take several weeks.
But on Monday, the once seemingly unassailable Johnson was lambasted by several allies including a former health minister who said the Conservative party knew it was failing the country. Johnson’s anti-corruption chief John Penrose also resigned saying he though it’s over. “It feels now like a question of when not if,” he said.
In response to the events, a spokesperson for Johnson’s Downing Street office said that it hoped the vote would “allow the government to draw a line and move on”.