A CABINET minister yesterday issued a plea for Tory MPs not to act against Boris Johnson as questions were raised over his leadership following the loss of hundreds of seats in the local elections.
As well as suffering heavy losses in Scotland, the Tories saw the number of councillors fall by more than 400 across England and Wales.
The controversy over parties held in Downing Street during lockdown and sharp rises in the cost of living are believed to have been major factors in the fall in Tory support.
The Prime Minister is expected to now attempt to use the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday as an effort to secure his leadership, with critics in the party raising questions over whether he can continue.
Tory MP Aaron Bell – who has already submitted a letter of no confidence in Johnson – yesterday said the issue of his leadership had to be “brought to a head”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “My position in terms of putting my letter to Sir Graham Brady hasn’t changed. It’s not really up to me, it’s up to my colleagues and I’m sure when we get back to Westminster there will be a discussion about that.
“What I do think is it needs to be brought to a head sooner rather than later because I don’t think we can continue having this hanging over the party for many more months to come, with the Metropolitan Police and Sue Gray and then the Privileges Committee.”
It was a “perfectly reasonable” position for colleagues to wait until the publication of senior official Gray’s report on the alleged lockdown-busting parties in No 10 and Whitehall, he said.
But he added: “We do need to bring this to a head, one way or another, so that we can draw a line under this.”
Marcus Fysh, Conservative MP for Yeovil and South Somerset, said: “I do think radical change in the policy is required and, if it doesn’t happen, there really isn’t an electoral future for the party, because I think it will get crucified at the next election having bombed the economy.”
He added: “And if the team [running the Government] is not able to adapt to reality, then the team needs to make way for someone else.”
Most of the Prime Minister’s critics at Westminster were however keeping a low profile as they pondered their next move.
But among grassroots Tories there was anger and frustration that local councillors were paying the price for what they said were the failures of the national leadership.
John Mallinson, leader of Carlisle City Council, hit out after Labour took control of the new Cumberland authority which will replace it.
He told the BBC: “I think it is not just partygate, there is the integrity issue. Basically I just don’t feel people any longer have the confidence that the Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth.”
Ravi Govindia, leader of the Wandsworth Tories, said: “Let’s not be coy about it, of course national issues were part of the dilemma people were facing.”
However, Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi (below) urged Tory MPs to rally round the Prime Minister, insisted he remained an electoral asset.
In a message to Tory colleagues, the Education Secretary said: “People don’t like to vote for split parties, for teams that are divided.
“We are strongest when we are united, we’ve got a Queen’s Speech next week where we will demonstrate to the nation that the second half of this Parliament is all about dealing with repairing the economy, recovering from Covid, the backlog of the NHS and national security – here at home, safer streets – and, of course, abroad. All of these things we have a plan for.
“We are stronger when we are united and that would be my message to all my colleagues.”
He also told Sky News that Johnson “absolutely” remained an electoral asset saying: “Boris cuts through in places like Nuneaton, places like Newcastle-under-Lyme, other parts of the country as well – Harrow in London.”
Scotland Yard is still looking at parties in Downing Street and Whitehall, with the publication of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report awaiting the conclusion of the police inquiry.
In order to trigger a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister, 54 Conservative MPs must hand in letters of no confidence – and some have indicated they are waiting for the outcome of these investigations.
With Labour gaining more than 100 seats across England and Wales, UK leader Sir Keir Starmer proclaimed it was clear evidence of the party’s revival following its crushing defeat in the 2019 General Election.
“This is a big turning point for us,” he told cheering supporters in Barnet after the results. “We’ve sent a message to the Prime Minister: Britain deserves better.”
However, Labour is facing its own difficulties after police announced a probe into whether leader Starmer (above) broke lockdown rules last year.
Yesterday he said he is “confident” that he did not breach the rules by having a beer and curry at a campaign event.
“As I have explained a number of times, I was working in the office, we stopped for something to eat,” he said.
Speaking during a visit to Scotland, the Labour leader added: “The police have obviously got to do their job but meanwhile I am here in Scotland because we have had a fantastic set of results.”
Shadow cabinet minister Jo Stevens told Times Radio the election results showed Labour is ready for government and has “regained the trust of the British public”.
