The threat to Boris Johnson’s leadership has ramped up today as more Conservative MPs said they have submitted letters of no confidence in the PM.
Around 12 more letters were handed in this morning, according to Sky News political correspondents Sam Coates and Joe Pike.
They were from MPs who were part of a group of around 20 first voted in at the 2019 general election, many in traditionally “red wall” Labour seats in the North.
Follow live updates as Boris Johnson faces pressure over partygate
Pork pie plot
The MPs met last night to discuss their support of the prime minister after he claimed on Tuesday “nobody told me” the Number 10 lockdown garden party in May 2020 was against the rules.
The mutiny by the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs has been branded the “pork pie plot” as one of the MPs is Alicia Kearns, the MP for Rutland and Melton, home of the Melton Mowbray pork pie.
Several other letters are understood to have been submitted ahead of today, with a handful of Conservative MPs confirming to Sky News they have done so.
The letters have been handed to Sir Graham Brady, head of the influential 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, who is the only person that knows exactly how many letters have been submitted.
For a Tory PM to be ousted, Sir Graham needs to receive letters from 15% of Conservative MPs, which at the moment is 54.
When that number is reached, a vote on the PM’s leadership will be triggered. There are reports this could happen as early as today.
Analysis: Is the game up? Boris Johnson looks defeated as mood sours in Tory Party
Source : skynews
