Boris Johnson survives confidence vote despite huge Conservative rebellion

Every single Tory MP voted tonight in a secret ballot, with 211 votes backing the Prime Minister to 148 against.

Although Mr Johnson is now safe from another challenge for a year, it remains to be seen whether his position will be strengthened or he will find his position untenable.Of the 13 Conservative MPs, two Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham) and Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) have previously called on Mr Johnson to step down in the wake of Partygate, while five publicly saying they would be backing him today.

In a tweet before the vote, Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffifth, who is the PM’s policy minister, said: “Everyone serious about fixing the big challenges our country faces should give the PM their support. The last thing anyone needs is a distracting, divisive and destructive leadership contest. We need to focus on getting on with the job and serving the country.”

Meanwhile Chichester MP Gillian Keegan said: “In 2019 Boris won the election with an 80 seat majority. Since then he has led on our response to Covid and is leading on supporting Ukraine in their critical time of need. These are v difficult times to navigate as we rebuild our country. The Prime Minister has my support.”

Sally-Ann Hart, Hastings and Rye MP, wrote on Twitter: “In 2019, we saw a massive majority of MPs elected for Boris Johnson’s Conservatives reflecting a realignment of politics based on 2016’s EU referendum. The PM upholds that realignment, reflecting the values of people around the country who do not live in the ‘Westminster Bubble’.”

Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies said: “I’ve been very clear- I am in no doubt we have a very significant mountain to climb to fix this & all eyes are on this action & what the plan is.

“I know the PM is fully committed to doing so. He reiterated this in the 1922 committee today. It’s time to ‘unite, serve & deliver’ as he said this afternoon. I do hope tonight means we get to do just that-as then we can rightly get on with tackling issues & serving our country.

"I know from the many emails & conversations locally that people feel very strongly in all directions. Our party is more than one person or moment in time. By being a team of one nation @Conservatives we will succeed & we can continue to deliver & take the country forward together.”

Crawley MP Henry Smith said in a statement: “In April I supported a Commons motion which was passed by the whole House referring to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee an investigation as to whether the Prime Minister earlier misled MPs about if he knowingly attended a Downing Street gathering in 2020 against Covid-19 restrictions. I want to see this Committee commence work without delay and come to a final judgement; that is the correct procedure that should be respected and observed.

“This is a moment to reflect on the past three years of Boris Johnson’s leadership as Prime Minister, and whilst I have not agreed with every decision, indeed voting against several myself in the House of Commons, I believe the significant policies taken have been proven right:

“After almost four years of delay and deadlock, finally delivering the British people’s democratic decision to exit the EU, with over 70 trade agreements signed since and now record high investment in the NHS;

“A world leading Covid-19 vaccination programme that allowed the UK to re-open sooner than most other countries, so resulting in post-pandemic economic recovery with unemployment now remarkably lower than at any other time since the mid-1970s;

“Global leadership on the environment with a successful COP26 Conference last year, and of particular importance to me, significant new animal welfare protections, for example with sentience now enshrined in law;

“An international lead shown by the UK Prime Minister on both defensive and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s Putin regime aggressively invading that democratic, sovereign nation;

“A comprehensive set of measures to support people with cost of living pressures caused by global events which amount to more support than in comparable countries like France, Germany or Italy;

“Of relevance to Crawley constituency, over £21 million so far received in levelling-up funding to help boost job creation, business growth and economic recovery for our town.

“Tonight I will be supporting the continuation of this important work and for parliamentary due process to properly conclude.”

After the vote, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “The choice is clearer than ever before: divided Tories propping up Boris Johnson with no plan to tackle the issues you are facing. Or a united Labour Party with a plan to fix the cost of living crisis and restore trust in politics.”

In response, Nadine Dorries, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, tweeted: “The person Starmer doesn’t want to face at an election is Boris Johnson who secured the biggest Conservative majority since 1987 and the highest share of the vote (43.6 per cent) of any party since 1979, with 14 million votes. Time to get back to the job of governing.”

Sir Ed Davey, Lib Dem leader, said: “Every Conservative MP who cares about integrity and decency must do the right thing, resign the whip and sit as an independent. For the sake of our country, this failing Prime Minister cannot be propped up any longer.”