Prime Minister Boris Johnson saved his job, but for some, his position is untenable. On Tuesday, he’s trying to turn the page on scandals and plans to address issues that are “important” to unite a divided party and win back the British.
The British head of government survived a vote of no confidence by the party itself, triggered on Monday by rebellious Conservative MPs angered by scandals such as the party’s “partygate” celebrated on Downing Street amid restrictions enacted during the pandemic.
While under current rules Johnson may not be the target of another domestic vote of confidence in a year, he has the delicate task of rescuing his troops and voters, infuriated by scandals and gripped by inflation, which has reached its highest level in 40 years.
Earlier on Tuesday, at the start of the cabinet meeting, Johnson said his government could finally put the polemic aside and “continue talking about what the people of this country want”.
He declared that the goal now was to “move the country forward” on the basis of measures that would benefit Britons facing a purchasing power crisis.
Although Johnson celebrated what he called a “compelling” result in the secret ballot on Monday, more than 40% of lawmakers (148 out of 359) said they did not trust him, reflecting the extent of his internal discontent and the blow to his authority. conservative Party.
For comparison, former Prime Minister Theresa May survived a 2018 no-confidence motion by a wider margin, but was forced to resign a few months later.
In the event of Johnson’s defeat, the party would automatically call an internal election to appoint a new leader to assume the post of head of government. But while there are rumors of potential successor candidates, none of them really stand out, which benefits Johnson.
Humiliation
The press said on Tuesday that Johnson, who came to power victoriously in 2019, must regain ground he lost with a sharp decline in popularity.
The i Paper newspaper claims that “Injured Johnson is in danger”, while The Guardian evaluates the result of the vote as “humiliation” for the prime minister.
On the Conservative side, The Telegraph claims that “small victory divides Conservatives”.
According to media reports, the 57-year-old conservative leader is eager to try to regain his authority and may overhaul the cabinet to reward his closest allies and topple the most hesitant supporters.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab urged the rebels to “respect the vote”.
Johnson told Sky News he was “refreshed” after “clearly” winning the vote.
But former conservative leader William Hague warned the Times that the damage was “significant” even in the case of survival. “Irreversible words were spoken, irrevocable reports were published, and more than ever the rejection for a Conservative leader was cast,” he said.
Despite the comfort of being able to persuade the majority of MPs, Johnson did not end up behind the party door.
Following the police investigations and officer Sue Gray’s internal report, another investigation is scheduled, this time a parliamentary investigation. If it is concluded a priori in the second half that Johnson deliberately lied to the House of Commons by claiming that he had not broken the rules, the code of conduct states that he should resign.
The two by-elections scheduled for 23 June will also be a test for the Conservative leader, who has refrained from calling an early general election on Monday.
Recent polls are disastrous for the Conservative majority, with their leader, who won the election in 2019, becoming less and less convinced that they are the most suitable person to lead the Conservative Party to a new victory in the 2024 legislative system.
source: Noticias
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