“ONE more strike and he’s out”: This was one veteran Tory backbencher’s verdict on Boris Johnson after the party’s stunning defeat in the North Shropshire by-election.
The ultra-safe Conservative seat, previously held by scandal hit Owen Paterson, was taken by the LibDems who sailed to victory by 5925 voters – overturning the former minister’s near-23,000 majority.
“Tonight, the people of North Shropshire have spoken on behalf of the British people. They have said loudly and clearly, ‘Boris Johnson, the party is over’,” LibDem victor Helen Morgan said in her victory speech.
This warning did not go unheard by the Conservative Party.
While Tory chairman Oliver Dowden acknowledged the voters had given them a good “kicking”, he insisted Johnson has what it takes to get the party through a difficult period.
Backbenchers were not so quick to defend Johnson. Sir Roger Gale, a seasoned Conservative MP, warned the Prime Minister he is now on borrowed time.
“I think this has to be seen as a referendum on the Prime Minister’s performance and I think that the Prime Minister is now in ‘last orders’ time,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
“Two strikes already, one earlier this week in the vote in the Commons and now this. One more strike and he’s out.
“The Conservative Party has a reputation for not taking prisoners. If the prime minister fails, the prime minister goes.
“We got rid of a good prime minister to install Mr Johnson.
“Mr Johnson has to prove that he’s capable of being a good prime minister and at the moment it’s quite clear that the public don’t think that that’s the case.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson 'went to Downing Street party while UK was in Covid lockdown'
Under party rules, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, is required to call a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister if 54 Tory MPs submit a letter to him calling for one.
However, another backbencher, Sir Charles Walker, said it was not the time for a leadership contest.
“The Conservative Party is not going to have a leadership challenge as we are heading into potential further restrictions around Covid and difficulties around Covid,” he told the Today programme.
“That would be completely self-indulgent.”
Speaking on Friday afternoon, Johnson said he takes “personal responsibility” for the North Shropshire by-election loss.
Speaking at a vaccination centre at Hillingdon Hospital in London, Johnson said: “I’m responsible for everything that the Government does and of course I take personal responsibility.”
Asked which things going wrong under his watch were to blame for the defeat, he said: “I think that people are frustrated and I understand that… Basically what’s been going wrong… is that in the last few weeks some things have been going very well, but what the people have been hearing… is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians and stuff that isn’t about them and isn’t about the things that we can do to make life better.
“And so to that extent, of course, you’re right – and I think the job of the Government is to make people like you… interested in the booster rollout and in skills, and in housing, and in everything else that we’re doing.
“And unfortunately, you’re totally right, we haven’t been able to get the focus on those issues.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel