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Highlights
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday won a no-confidence vote by a narrow margin.
- He now faces political uncertainty as 41% of his own colleagues voted to oust him.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday survived a no-confidence vote and managed to keep his chair even as a huge chunk of his own colleagues voted against him.
In the ballot that exposed the potential rift within the party, 148 or 41% of Conservative MPs voted to oust him, while 211 voted in his support.
Speaking after the vote, the PM said the result was conclusive and decisive, adding that the government now needs to come together and move on. However, Johnson now has an uncertain political future as several of his colleagues have called on him to stand down in the wake of the Partygate scandal.
Cabinet meeting on Tuesday
The PM will meet his cabinet on Tuesday and is expected to reiterate his pledge to continue delivering on what the people of the country care about the most. In his attempt to inject fresh momentum into the government, he is likely to talk about the economy, crime, and the NHS, among other things.
As per an official statement from the government, he would set out the vision for the future and tell his colleagues that the government will drive forward progress on its priorities like easing financial pressure on UK households amid the cost-of-living crisis and making access to the NHS easier and quicker.
He is also expected to come up with new policies for reducing childcare costs and for helping more Britons purchase their own homes. Besides, the PM will also thank dedicated NHS staff for their services.
There are reports suggesting that a cabinet reshuffle may also be on the cards amid the threat of ministerial resignations.
Government's commitments
Speaking ahead of the cabinet meeting, Johnson had said that the government had already committed £37 billion to support the financial needs of the British households and hired 13,500 more police officers to make the communities safer.
He added that his government has also opened close to 100 Community Diagnostic Centres to deal with the coronavirus backlogs in the NHS.
Letter to colleagues
Prior to the no-confidence vote, Johnson had written a letter to the Conservative MPs in a last-minute attempt to convince them why they should support him. Listing out some of his past achievements, the three-page letter also emphasised how Johnson won the Conservatives their majority in the last election.
Other achievements in the letter included the UK's departure from the EU, termed as 'resolving the Brexit crisis' by Johnson, 'tough but responsible decisions' during the pandemic, and also helping Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
It also mentioned that Johnson wanted to 'draw a line' under the Partygate scandal, which damaged the government's reputation.
