If Boris Johnson is ousted from Downing Street by rebellious Conservative MPs, any new Prime Minister should be prepared to call a General Election.
Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg was speaking to BBC Newsnight on Tuesday on a day that saw the Met Police announce an investigation into events held at Downing Street during lockdown.
In what could be seen as a warning to mutinous Tory MPs, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “It is my view that we have moved, for better or worse, to essentially a presidential system and that therefore the mandate is personal rather than entirely party, and that any Prime Minister would be very well advised to seek a fresh mandate.”
Mr Rees-Mogg, asked whether the Prime Minister should resign if there is a photograph of him at a drinks party in No 10, urged for people to wait for Ms Gray’s report to be published.
“Trying to speculate on bits of gossip and tittle-tattle around the report doesn’t really get us anywhere,” he added.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said talk of the need for a general election in the event of Boris Johnson being ousted as Prime Minister is “complete hypothetical speculation”.
Asked about these Mr Rees-Mogg's comments on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, Ms Truss said: “That is complete hypothetical speculation. I believe the Prime Minister should continue in office. I think he’s doing a great job. He’s apologised, he’s admitted that mistakes were made.”
The Prime Minister is set to face further questions over a police investigation into partygate as No 10 braces for the submission of a report into possible lockdown breaches.
Mr Johnson faces Prime Minister's Questions at noon and senior civil servant Sue Gray's report is understood to have been completed, with Downing Street braced for its submission.
Some Conservative MPs have publicly called for Mr Johnson’s resignation, but others have said they will await the publication of the Gray report before trying to trigger a vote of no confidence.
