Boris Johnson is suffering a steady loss of Conservative support, as three more Tory MPs announced on Wednesday they wanted the Prime Minister to be removed as leader.
Gary Streeter, the veteran MP for South West Devon, used a post on his Facebook page to announce he had put in a letter, bringing to 14 the number of Tory MPs now publicly opposed to Johnson.
Two other MPs made clear their opposition to Johnson earlier in the day, raising the prospect of a death by a thousand cuts for a besieged Prime Minister over the partygate allegations.
Streeter said now that the truncated Sue Gray report had been published he had made his decision.
He said: “I cannot reconcile the pain and sacrifice of the vast majority of the British Public during lockdown with the attitude and activities of those working in Downing Street."
Streeter, who was first elected in 1997, added: “Accordingly, I have now submitted a letter seeking a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.
Boris Johnson lost the support of three Tory MPs on Wedneday, with senior MP Tobias Elwood and Anthony Mangnall announcing they have submitted letters calling for a no confidence vote in the Prime Minister.
Mangnall, the MP for Totnes and South Devon, tweeted on Wednesday afternoon: “Standards in public life matter.”
“At this time I can no longer support the PM. His actions and mistruths are overshadowing the extraordinary work of so many excellent ministers and colleagues.I have submitted a letter of no confidence.”
Other letters may have been submitted to the chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee in private, but 54 letters, some 15 per cent of MPs, are needed for a no confidence vote to go ahead.
In the morning senior Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood said Johnson has lost his support and he will be submitting a letter of no confidence to the 1922 Committee.
The chair of the Defence Select Committee said the partygate scandal left Tory MPs in a “horrible position” of having to defend Johnson’s rulebreaking.
He said: “I don’t think the Prime Minister realises how worried colleagues are in every corner of the party, backbenchers and ministers alike, that this is all only going one way and will invariably slide towards a very ugly place.”
If the backbench 1922 Committee receives 54 letters of no confidence from Conservative MPs, it would trigger no-confidence vote that could lead to a leadership contest.
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