The timeline for Boris Johnson to face another confidence vote in his leadership could be drastically shortened if senior Tories back a rule change next week.
Under the current rules of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives, the Prime Minister cannot face another challenge within a year of his shaky victory last month.
But this could be torn up if the group’s executive go ahead with a proposed change to the rules as Mr Johnson’s authority evaporates with a series of ministerial resignations.
– What are the current rules?
The leader must face a vote of confidence of Tory MPs if 15% of the parliamentary party write to committee chairman Sir Graham Brady calling for one.
If the leader survives, however, there cannot be another confidence vote for 12 months – which should mean Mr Johnson is safe until June next year.
However, Conservative critics are demanding a re-write of the rulebook.
– What would the new rulebook look like?
Various possibilities have been floated, including reducing the safety net from 12 to six months, which could mean a vote in early December.
Others reportedly want the issue of Mr Johnson’s future decided before the Commons break for the summer recess later this month.
One compromise suggested is that a second confidence vote could be held if 25% of Tories in the Commons – 90 MPs – submit letters to the 1922 leadership.
– How might this happen?
At a meeting on Wednesday of the 1922 executive it was agreed that the elections for a new executive will be held on Monday.
Nominations opened with immediate effect and will close at midday on Monday, with voting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced during the evening.
It will be up to the new body – sometimes dubbed “the men in grey suits” – to consider whether there should be any change to the rules by which a sitting leader can be challenged.
A number of Tory MPs have said they will stand for the committee on the basis they would vote for a rule change if they were elected to enable another confidence vote to take place before next year.
As a result, the election is being seen at Westminster as something of a proxy for a second confidence vote.
– What does the executive say?
As a growing number of Conservative MPs turned on Mr Johnson, one major intervention during Prime Minister’s Questions came from Gary Sambrook.
The 1922 executive member blasted Mr Johnson for his handling of the Chris Pincher fiasco, suggesting there is “nothing left for him to do other than to take responsibility and resign”.
One committee source said suggestions the rule change could be made on Wednesday were being spread by the “anti-Boris lot”.
– Will the PM go quietly?
Mr Johnson would stay and fight any fresh confidence vote, according to his press secretary, though she described last month’s ballot as “clear and decisive”.
She also said the Prime Minister is confident he retains the support of his backbenchers.
