Boris Johnson faces a trouncing in next week’s local elections as the public punishes him for Partygate, senior Tories believe.
The Prime Minister is again under pressure over lockdown law-breaking, with the Met Police starting to issue fines for another No10 event.
Some Tory MPs have admitted they are waiting until the local elections on May 5 before deciding whether or not to send a formal letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson.
If 54 are sent to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, a leadership contest is triggered.
Rebel Steve Baker, who was key in bringing down Theresa May, said Partygate had been a disaster for the Conservatives.
The most extreme predictions suggest the loss of 800 seats, while more realistic forecasts put Tory losses at 150 to 250 seats. There are 4,359 up for grabs in England.
Some Tory MPs are said to be privately making plans for Mr Johnson’s departure regardless of the election result.
One former Johnson backer told the Mirror: “I think we’ve gone past the tipping point. He’s lost public trust and once that’s gone, it’s hard to win back”.
Potential successors are believed to include Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, trade minister Penny Mordaunt and ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Tory Party Chairman Oliver Dowden said changing PM now was not in the national interest.
But Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Dowden is deluded if he thinks the toxic cocktail of Boris Johnson’s illegal partying and the cost-of-living crisis won’t affect the Conservatives at the local elections.”
- Ditching the net zero by 2050 commitment would cost 1.3 million Tory votes, think-tank Onward said.
