Veteran backbencher Sir Gary Streeter has become the third Tory MP to submit a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson today.
The MP for South West Devon said he had not "come to this decision lightly" but admitted he could not "reconcile the pain and sacrifice" Brits had made during lockdown as Downing Street officials partied during lockdown.
The trickle of letters to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady potential Tory leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak were not by Mr Johnson's side in a tense PMQs session.
Sir Gary's no confidence letter comes months after he described Mr Johnson as "absolutely brilliant but also absolutely shambolic".
He told Premier Christian News: "My own view of him is he's absolutely brilliant, but he is also shambolic.
"And there will always be bits and pieces happening around him that aren't professional that aren't sort of what you might expect."
At the time the sheer number of Downing Street lockdown parties had not been revealed. Now the PM is believed to have attended as many as six lockdown parties which are now being probed by the Met Police.
Mr Johnson faced his first blow this morning as senior Tory Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Defence Committee, publicly confirmed he had sent his no confidence letter to the 1922 Committee.
Hours later, Anthony Mangnall, MP for Totnes tweeted "standards in public life matter", as he confirmed he had submitted his letter.
Finally, Sir Gary tweeted tonight: "I previously made it clear in response to the many e-mails I have received about the parties in Downing Street that appeared to break Lockdown rules, that the wise thing to do was to await the report from Sue Gray.
"This has now been received (albeit in truncated form) and I have made my decision.
"I cannot reconcile the pain and sacrifice of the vast majority of the British Public during lockdown with the attitude and activities of those working in Downing Street."
A number of gatherings the PM attended in person are not being probed by detectives, including a No 10 Christmas quiz in 2020 and a photo of a gathering in the Downing Street garden with cheese and wine in May 2020.
But he faces being interviewed by police - and potentially fined for breaking Covid rules - for several parties that he was at himself.
In a tense PMQs session today, Labour leader Keir Starmer blasted Mr Johnson and told MPs: "The Prime Minister might want to sharpen how he answers questions under interview – he’s going to need it in the next few weeks."
Despite this the PM received huge cheers in the Commons, cheers which could make these letters of no confidence all the more surprising.
Their calls for a no confidence vote heightens the danger of 54 MPs also submitting letters to the 1922 Committee.
Mr Mangnall was elected in the 2019 general election, making him part of the intake called the '2019ers'.
Recently there has been growing unease and disquiet amongst the newest intake with Aaron Bell asking Mr Johnson in the Commons: "Does the Prime Minister think I'm a fool?" on Monday.
In the same Commons session on Monday, Tory grandee Andrew Mitchell told the PM he no longer "enjoys my support".
Christian Wakeford, who recently defected from the Conservative Party to Labour is also part of the 2019 intake, and of course Alicia Kearns who was said to be a key figure in the 'pork pie plot' to oust Mr Johnson.
Veteran David Davis has publicly said the PM should go, but later confirmed he is yet to actually submit a letter.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries described the Tory MPs as “selfish”, attempting to dismiss them as “a handful of egos” who “want to make it all about them”.
The fierce ally of the Prime Minister tweeted: “It’s selfish, doing Labours work and it’s really not helping their constituents.”
Yesterday the Mr Johnson squirmed on the international stage as he was asked about partygate moments after warning Vladimir Putin against more Russian aggression.
The Prime Minister appeared to smirk as he was asked why the international community should take his diplomacy seriously as he is preoccupied with talking to Tory MPs before talking to Putin.
Mr Johnson shook his head, raised his eyebrows and clenched the lectern as he was questioned on his political priorities.
