British Prime Minister Boris Johnson face a critical vote of confidence today (June 6) on his
leadership.
To trigger a vote of confidence, 15% of Conservative Party lawmakers (or 54 of the current 359
Conservative Party MPs) are required to write letters to Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922
Committee that oversees the party’s leadership.
Brady has announced that the threshold had been exceeded and that he had informed the
prime minister that a vote on whether he should remain the leader of the governing political
party will take place.
The vote is scheduled to take place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST today.
Last month a report into several high-profile parties at Johnson’s office and residence during
COVID-19 lockdowns was made public, sparking calls for a confidence vote.
Soon after the confidence vote was announced, a Downing Street spokesperson released a
statement saying that the vote tonight “is a chance to end months of speculation and allow the
government to draw a line and move on, delivering on the people’s priorities.”
Some senior Conservative lawmakers have already thrown their support behind the prime
minister. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted Monday that Johnson had her “100% backing” in
the vote.
If Johnson wins the vote, he will be protected from another vote of confidence for another 12
months. If he loses the vote, he will be forced to step down and a Conservative leadership
contest will begin. In that eventuality, Johnson, as an ousted leader, will not be allowed to run.
Boris Johnson’s public standing is a source of concern for many Conservatives Members of
Parliament wary of the British public’s perception of the Conservative Party and its leader.
On Friday, crowds of people booed Johnson as he arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral in London for
a service in honor of Queen Elizabeth II and her 70 years on the throne, a milestone marked
with Platinum Jubilee celebrations across the United Kingdom in recent days.
