A cabinet minister has urged Tory MPs not to act against Boris Johnson after the party’s bruising local election results, as a critic of the prime minister said questions over his leadership “had to be brought to a head”.
After the Conservatives lost almost 500 seats and the control of 11 councils, the education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, called on Saturday for party unity, arguing that Johnson remained a vote-winner.
He told Sky News: “He is an asset, absolutely … if you look at the way that Boris cuts through in places like Nuneaton, places like Newcastle-under-Lyme, other parts of the country as well – Harrow in London.”
Zahawi added: “People don’t like to vote for split parties, for teams that are divided. We are stronger when we are united and that would be my message to all my colleagues.”
When asked if he believed the prime minister was a “man of integrity” on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Zahawi said Johnson was “not just a man of integrity, but a man who works all hours to deliver for the nation”.
In significant local election blows to the Conservatives, Labour took Tory London flagship councils in Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet.
The party also recorded its worst position in Scotland for a decade and lost control of its only council in Wales, Monmouthshire, to Labour.
The results have reignited criticism in some quarters of Johnson’s leadership, with rumblings that his premiership could be under threat.
Some Conservatives voiced frustration that activities at No 10 had pushed ardent supporters to either “sit on their hands” or vote against the party, with Partygate regularly brought up on doorsteps.
There was renewed criticism on Saturday from a Tory backbench critic of the prime minister, Aaron Bell, who said discussions were needed regarding the future leadership of the Conservative party.
Bell, who has already submitted a letter of no confidence in Johnson, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that about one in six “traditional Tory voters” he encountered while canvassing “had a real issue” with Partygate.
“There were some people who said they were going to sit on their hands and stay at home and probably some people even who voted against us. So that’s obviously something we’ve got to address, something we’ve got to win back.”
Fifty-four letters have to be sent to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, for a vote of no confidence to be called.
Bell added: “My position in terms of putting my letter to Sir Graham Brady hasn’t changed. It’s not really up to me, it’s up to my colleagues and I’m sure when we get back to Westminster, there will be a discussion about that.
“What I do think is it needs to be brought to a head sooner rather than later because I don’t think we can continue having this hanging over the party for many more months to come, with the Metropolitan police and Sue Gray and then the privileges committee.”
John Mallinson, the Conservative leader of Carlisle city council, told the BBC he had “lost some very good colleagues” in the Cumberland local election, adding he had found it “difficult to drag the debate back to local issues” while campaigning, because of Partygate and the cost of living crisis.
He said Johnson would be a “poor option” to lead the Conservatives into the next general election.
