Rishi Sunak offers backing to 'strong leader' Boris Johnson ahead of tonight's confidence vote
The MP for Richmond wrote on Twitter: "From the vaccine rollout to our response to Russian aggression, the PM has shown the strong leadership our country needs. I am backing him today and will continue to back him as we focus on growing the economy, tackling the cost of living and clearing the Covid backlogs."
Similar messages have been posted on social media by other senior ministers, including Dominic Raab, James Cleverley and Brandon Lewis.
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Hide AdRother Valley MP Alexander Stafford also confirmed he would be supporting Mr Johnson tonight.
Posting on Twitter alongside a picture of himself and the Prime Minister giving a thumbs up, Mr Stafford wrote: "Time and time again, Boris Johnson has got the big calls right. Whether it's on Brexit, the vaccine, or Ukraine, it's this Prime Minister that focuses on what really matters. Now is the time for unity so we can do what we were elected to do, deliver for the people of Britain."
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he is standing by the Prime Minister despite having previously resigned from Boris Johnson’s Cabinet in 2020 when he was Chancellor.
Asked if he is sticking with Mr Johnson this time, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m supporting the Prime Minister and I hope more of my colleagues do tonight.
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Hide Ad“The Prime Minister will speak to my colleagues at the 1922 meeting tonight and then they will of course make up their own mind.
“And, as I say that, let me be clear, I love my party. I think there’s a lot that we can be proud of. It’s a very proud democratic party.
“No leader that I’ve known of my party has got 100% support from every single colleague but we make decisions through due process openly and transparently, and tonight is an opportunity to put all this behind us and get on with the job.”
Many Conservative backbenchers have also voiced their support for Mr Johnson, with Beaconsfield MP Joy Morrissey describing Monday’s vote as “a self-indulgent distraction the only effect of which will be to embolden a pitiful opposition”.
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Hide AdOthers including Rachel Maclean, Mark Jenkinson, Stuart Anderson, Simon Clarke and Will Quince also said they will be backing the Prime Minister.
Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, confirmed in a statement this morning that he has now received the 54 letters from Conservative MPs needed to trigger a vote.
The vote – by secret ballot – will take place at Westminster on Monday between 6pm and 8pm, with the count to take place immediately afterwards.
It comes after a steady stream of Tory MPs called publicly for the Prime Minister to stand down in the wake of Sue Gray’s report into breaches of the Covid regulations in No 10 and Whitehall.
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Hide AdIn order to oust the Prime Minister however the rebels will need 180 MPs, and allies of Mr Johnson made clear he is determined to fight to stay on.
Sir Keir Starmer has said Conservative MPs must “show some leadership” and vote against Boris Johnson.
Speaking to LBC Radio, the Labour leader said: “I think they have got to show some leadership and vote against the Prime Minister.
“He has lost, I think, the trust of the country – that is pretty clear from the evidence that I have seen.”
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Hide AdReferring to Tory MP Jesse Norman’s statement on Monday morning, speaking out against Mr Johnson, Sir Keir added: “He’s also got no plan for the country and I think those two things mean that it’s in the national interest that he goes now.”
The Opposition leader said many people in his party have said it is “very good” for them if Mr Johnson stays because he is “so damaged”.
“But looking at the national interest, I think Tory MPs have got to step up, show leadership and get rid of him,” he said.
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