Britain: How can the Tories overthrow Boris Johnson?

Exhausted by the scandal “partygate“, the almost six parties in Downing Street in violation of lockdown restrictive measures to address the pandemic, Conservative MPs file impeachment motion to oust Boris Johnson by the Prime Minister.

The British Prime Minister rules out the possibility of his resignation and, if it survives the motion of censure, it will not be threatened with a new motion of censure for a year, according to the rules, and most likely until the next parliamentary elections scheduled for 2024. However, the 1922 Commission President acknowledged that regulation may change.

How the process evolves

54 letters

Vote on a motion of censure against the Prime Minister is carried out at the request of 15% of the members of the Tory parliamentary group in the House of Commons – that is, 54 of the 389 deputies.

To initiate a censure process, you must to submit a relevant letter to the Member chairing the 1922 committee, which consists of MPs without a portfolio.

Although some Conservative MPs have publicly called on him Boris Johnson to resign, the process of submitting the letters is secret, a fact that has fueled speculation in recent months as to whether or not the 54-letter limit has been met.

The chairman of the 1922 commission, Graham Brady, finally confirmed today that he had received the required number of letters to initiate a motion of censure.

Vote on a motion of censure

THE vote will take place tonightin accordance with the rules which provide that it must be carried out in an appropriate manner.

Conservative MPs decide the fate of the prime minister with by secret ballot in a chamber of parliament and the result announced immediately.

If Boris Johnson wins 50% plus one vote – 180 – his power cannot be challenged for a year. If he loses, the race to replace him begins.

No possible successor has stood out in the ranks of the Tories, which may favor Boris Johnson.

However, political analysts believe that a marginal victory in the vote will further damage the prestige of the British Prime Minister.

Leadership race

Candidates to replace Boris Johnson should be members of the Conservative Party and have the support of at least two of their colleagues.

Tory MPs vote in a secret ballot, disqualifying the least popular candidate until there are two final candidates left.

Unless one of the two final candidates withdraws, the two names will be put to a vote by all party members. The election campaign takes place across the United Kingdom and lasts for several weeks.

Boris Johnson himself took over the leadership of the government in July 2019, easily defeating his opponent Jeremy Hunt in the leadership race that began after Theresa May’s resignation, when she proved unable to convince Tory MPs of her Brexit strategy.

Why now;

Boris Johnson faces a series of scandals from last year, mainly the “partygate”, which gave him the title of incumbent prime minister against whom a fine is imposed by the police.

He has repeatedly refused to resign and so far has been held in place claiming that wants to help the British who are facing galloping inflation and investing in the image it has built for its important role in western Ukraine’s support against the Russian attack.

However, the publication in late May of the findings of the investigation of public official Sue Gray, which sparked Downing Street behavior during the lockdown, rekindled the dissatisfaction of the Tories MPs and their concern about his ability to win the elections. .

THE Its popularity is in free fall and the Conservatives suffered significant defeats in local elections in early May. The Conservative Party is likely to lose two seats in the by-elections in June in England.