Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Boris Johnson, Politics
Mia Williams
Following the resignations of chancellor, Rishi Sunak, Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, and the recent Chris Pincher scandal, the Prime Minister is battling to stay in office.
The Prime Minister faced questions from the House of Commons earlier today, and leader of the Labour party, Keir Starmer, called the Conservatives a party "defending the indefensible".
Mr Johnson’s leadership has certainly been plunged into crisis after 18 members of his party have left their positions, but will the Prime Minister resign?
It’s looking like the question is now a matter of when, not if, Mr Johnson leaves government in one form another. Whether he resigns, or is forced out is unclear
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While it is possible that he could reshuffle his cabinet to make up for departures within office, a second call for a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Prime Minister seems to be looming.
If the PM was to resign, an automatic leadership election would be triggered, as the UK must have a Prime Minister in government at all times.
Before a new leader is elected, Mr Johnson would be made to formally hand in his resignation to the Queen.
The PM’s team has declared today that he would be willing to fight another vote of confidence and thinks that he would win.
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The 1922 committee is where this decision lies, the group of conservative back-benchers who can call for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.
As well as this, a new anti-Johnson executive is expected to be elected into the committee, which puts the Prime Minister in a very vulnerable position indeed.
When asked by a member of his own party earlier today whether there are any circumstances in which he would resign, Johnson stated:
“The job of a Prime Minister in difficult circumstances when handed a colossal mandate is to keep going, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Whilst Mr Johnson is certain that he will do everything he can to remain in government, it seems his position of power is very much hanging by a thread.
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