LONDON, June 7: A hilarious British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has narrowly
survived a no-confidence motion within his own Conservative party. He has been
facing a revolt for several months. The "Partygate" scandal coupled with charges
of mounting living costs and inflation had fuelled the rebellion.
However, Monday's vote is not taken by many as the final. Johnson is not out
of the woods yet, or never be. He was even booed at the Queen's Platinum jubilee
celebrations at the St Pauls' Cathedral alongwith his wife Carrie on Friday.
An inquiry has now found him guilty of attending parties at 10 Downing Street
when gatherings were banned under covid lockdown by his own Government.
He should have been a little contrite at least, but it was his nemesis he lied
and denied that he ever joined any party during covid lockdown! Inquiries have
damned him. This happened those days while millions were not allowed to call
on their loved ones on their last days.
The erosion of support, rather authority, comes after he claimed a landslide
victory in the last general election. The next assault will be after June 23
when two by-elections take place, if his party loses, which is likely. Besides,
passage of Bills will also become difficult, without an overall parliamentary
majority, as large numbers of his own party MPs will vote against him, paving
the way for his natural exit, although the party rules make him immune from
another no-trust for a year.
In Monday's vote 148 MPs were against him and 211 supported.
The Prime Minister has indicated that he is "not interested" in calling snap
polls, but going by his prospects ahead, one cannot rule out a midterm poll
or the eventuality of a change of guard.
"Boris Johnson is now walking wounded," Labour's shadow Foreign Secretary David
Lammy told the BBC after the vote.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May, likewise, had the support of 63% of her
lawmakers in the no-trust vote of 2018. She resigned after six months. Earlier,
John Major and Margaret Thatcher too had faced similar situations.
Boris Johnson took over as Prime Minister in July 2019, replacing Theresa May,
and continued as PM after his Conservative Party got majority in the general
election held in December 2020.
Half a dozen conservative hopefuls are waiting in the wings!
Jeremy Hunt , who lost in the 2019 leadership vote to Johnson after May quit,
is making an irrefutable proposition that next general election coming soon
should be fought under a clean, able leadership - killing two birds with one
stone.
"We are not offering the integrity, competence and vision necessary to unleash
the enormous potential of our country," a far-sighted Jeremy Hunt posted on
Twitter.
Rishi Sunak, Chancellor, in the reckoning for several months, is currently
being overshadowed by a cost of living crisis.
That is advantage Liz Truss, Foreign Secretary. Smart but less known, and "untested" according sections of media, she has suddenly come into limelight with the ongoing Ukraine invasion.
Some observers have floated Home Minister Priti Patel's name too.
Several more will be in the run if a vacancy appears too soon in the Tories.
