Calls from the Tory benches for Boris Johnson to quit have grown steadily in recent weeks.
A further three Conservative MPs on Wednesday called for the Prime Minister to stand aside, coming after a truncated report by Sue Gray the senior civil servant investigating allegations of lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street, was published on Monday.
Out of the 16 events Ms Gray looked into, 12 are subject to a Metropolitan Police investigation, with Mr Johnson reportedly attending as many as six of those possible gatherings being probed by officers.
As details have emerged, a host of the Tory rebels have confirmed they have submitted letters of no confidence in Mr Johnson’s leadership, while other critics have kept their counsel over whether they want a vote on the future of his tenure.
Here is a list of those who have submitted letters:
– Sir Roger Gale
The veteran politician told PA news agency the Conservative Party leader was a “dead man walking” politically after he apologised for attending a “bring your own booze” gathering in the garden of No 10 during England’s first lockdown.
The North Thanet MP said he had submitted a letter of no confidence more than 18 months ago to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee, after the details of the Barnard Castle trip made by Mr Johnson’s former senior aide Dominic Cummings emerged in 2020.
A confidence vote will be triggered if Sir Graham receives letters from 54 MPs, 15% of the parliamentary party, calling for a poll.
– Douglas Ross
The leader of the Scottish Conservatives said Mr Johnson’s position was “untenable” after the Prime Minister admitted attending the BYOB garden drinks on May 20 2020.
Mr Ross, who is understood to have sent a letter to the 1922 Committee, said last month that he felt the admission meant he “could not continue” to lead the UK Government.
– Andrew Bridgen
The Brexiteer wrote in an article for the Daily Telegraph on January 13 that Mr Johnson presided over a “moral vacuum at the heart of our Government” and called for him to “go now with some semblance of grace”.
The MP for North West Leicestershire said it was “with a heavy heart” that he had submitted a letter of no confidence.
– Peter Aldous
Confirming he had sent a letter to Sir Graham, the Waveney MP tweeted on February 1, saying: “After a great deal of soul-searching, I have reached the conclusion that the Prime Minister should resign.”
Mr Aldous said he had “never taken such action before” but that he believed it was “in the best interests of the country” for a change at the top.
– Tobias Ellwood
The chairman of the Defence Select Committee said the Prime Minister had lost his support, and urged him to “call a vote of confidence rather than waiting for the inevitable 54 letters to be eventually submitted”.
Telling Sky News it was “horrible” for MPs to have to defend partygate, he confirmed on February 2 that he had presented his letter to the 1922 Committee.
– Anthony Mangnall
The Totnes MP, who entered Parliament in 2019, criticised Mr Johnson’s “actions and mistruths” in a social media post, as he confirmed he had joined colleagues in calling for a no confidence vote.
“Standards in public life matter. At this time I can no longer support the PM,” he tweeted.
– Sir Gary Streeter
In a Facebook post, Sir Gary Streeter said he had formally called for a “motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister”.
The South West Devon MP said: “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.”
– The following MPs have called for Mr Johnson to stand down but have not declared whether they have submitted a no confidence letter:
– William Wragg
The chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme last month that Mr Johnson’s position had become “untenable”.
– Caroline Nokes
The former immigration minister told ITV’s Peston on January 12: “Regretfully, he looks like a liability and I think he either goes now or he goes in three years’ time at a general election.”
– Tim Loughton
The former children’s minister told constituents via a Facebook post on January 15 that he had “regretfully come to the conclusion that Boris Johnson’s position is now untenable”.
– David Davis
The former Brexit secretary confronted Mr Johnson at Prime Minister’s Questions on January 19, telling his party leader: “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. In the name of God, go.”
However, Mr Davis later said he wanted to wait for further details of Ms Gray’s report into alleged rule-breaking to emerge before submitting a letter of no confidence.
Asked on LBC whether he had made a submission as of January 31, he replied: “No, not yet.”
– Andrew Mitchell
In an intervention after Mr Johnson’s statement to the House of Commons following the publication of the update on the Gray inquiry on January 31, the former Cabinet minister told the No 10 incumbent he “no longer enjoys my support”.
– Sir Charles Walker
The vice chairman of the 1922 Committee told Channel 4 News on February 1 he would “applaud” Mr Johnson if he chose to stand down, but said it was “his decision”.
