Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party lost two parliamentary seats today, a blow to the ruling party that led to the resignation of its chairman, and growing doubts over the future of the British prime minister.
Challenged in Rwanda for a meeting of Commonwealth nations, Johnson vowed to listen to voters’ concerns and do more to address a cost of living crisis that resulted in two by-elections, which he described as “difficult”.
Defeats in the Labor Party in the last election, the traditional heartland of the Conservatives in the South, and the industrial north of England suggest that Johnson’s broad call to win the 2019 election may be breaking down.
Fears that Johnson may have become an electoral issue could prompt lawmakers to take action again against him after months of scandal over parties violating the Covid-19 lockdown, at a time when millions are reeling from soaring food and fuel prices.
Johnson has so far resisted pressure to resign after he was fined for violating lockdown rules at his official Downing Street office and residence.
He survived a no-confidence vote by Conservative lawmakers this month, despite 41% of his supporters voting to oust him and the prime minister being investigated by a committee as to whether he deliberately misled parliament.
“I think as a government I need to listen to what people are saying,” Johnson told broadcasters in Kigali after the results. “We have to admit that we still have a lot more to do.”
After defeats at Tiverton and Honiton in southwestern England and Wakefield in the north, Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden resigned in a carefully written letter recommending Johnson take responsibility.
“We can’t go about our business as usual,” he said. “Somebody has to take responsibility, and I came to the conclusion that it wouldn’t be right for me to stay in office under these circumstances,” said Dowden, a longtime Johnson ally.
Some conservatives have accused him of campaigning poorly in both voting areas, ignoring local concerns.
Johnson responded by saying that he understood Dowden’s frustration, but that “this administration was elected with a historic term a little over two years ago” and will continue to work towards that goal.
A source in the Conservative Party said Johnson’s team of senior ministers was not worried about further layoffs and criticized the media for lying about the isolation parties.
source: Noticias
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