Boris Johnson was facing a growing revolt in the wake of Sue Gray’s pared-back but damning report into allegations of lockdown-breaking parties in No 10 when three more Tory MPs withdrew their support in a single day.
Senior Conservative Tobias Ellwood was first on Wednesday to announce he had submitted a formal letter calling for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister as he hit out at the “horrible” situation of having to defend Downing Street
Anthony Mangnall, who entered Parliament in 2019, followed by criticising Mr Johnson’s “actions and mistruths” as he said he had also submitted his letter to the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers.
Then came longstanding MP Sir Gary Streeter, who said he had taken the same step because he “cannot reconcile the pain and sacrifice” of the vast majority of the public with the “attitude and activities” of those in Downing Street.
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 (sic) work and it’s really not helping their constituents.”
But the trickle of letters to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady came as reports suggested the Prime Minister attended more of the gatherings being investigated by police than previously thought.
The Daily Telegraph reported Mr Johnson was seen heading up to his Downing Street flat on the night it hosted a gathering being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
The Prime Minister is also said to have spoken at two more leaving dos at the centre of Scotland Yard inquiries.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson again refused to say whether he had been at the alleged party in his flat, telling MPs “the process must go on”.
Downing Street later told reporters that Met officers have not yet been in contact with the Prime Minister about a potential police interview regarding the alleged coronavirus rule-breaking in No 10.
Mr Ellwood, a former minister who chairs the Commons Defence Committee, used an interview on Wednesday to publicly state he has lost confidence in Mr Johnson.
“This is just horrible for all MPs to continuously have to defend this to the British public,” he told Sky News.
“The Government’s acknowledged the need for fundamental change, culture, make-up, discipline, the tone of Number 10, but the strategy has been one, it seems, of survival, of rushed policy announcements like the Navy taking over the migrant Channel crossings.”
He suggested Mr Johnson should “take a grip” of the situation and call a vote of confidence in himself.
“I don’t think the Prime Minister realises how worried colleagues are in every corner of the party, backbenchers and ministers alike, that this is all only going one way and will invariably slide towards a very ugly place,” Mr Ellwood added.
Mr Mangnall, who represents Totnes, joined the rebel ranks on Wednesday afternoon, tweeting: “Standards in public life matter. At this time I can no longer support the PM.”
South West Devon MP Sir Gary, who first entered the Commons in 1992, said he had made his decision following Ms Gray’s initial assessment in her update published on Monday.
“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,” he said.
Not only do the two latest MPs to rebel both represent Devon seats, but neither are seen as being among the usual suspects who might agitate for the removal of Mr Johnson.
The acts of defiance mean 13 Conservatives have now publicly called for his resignation, though more are believed to have done so privately.
A confidence vote will be triggered if Sir Graham receives 54 letters, 15% of the parliamentary party, calling for a poll.
On Monday, Sue Gray, the senior civil servant who has been probing the so-called partygate scandal, revealed there were 12 events between 2020 and 2021 being investigated by police.
She was unable to publish her full findings because of the Met inquiry but Mr Johnson is now believed to have been present for at least six of the gatherings under investigation.
The alleged party in the Downing Street flat took place on November 13 2020, the night Mr Johnson’s now former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, left No 10 amid the acrimonious fallout of an internal power struggle.
On Monday, the Prime Minister repeatedly refused to say if he was there.
However, in an online question-and-answer session Mr Cummings said it was clear there was a party going on and accused Mr Johnson of lying.
“I’ve talked to people who were in No 10 on 13/11 who could hear the party in No 10 after I’d left, the press office is below the flat,” he said.
“If cops talk to people there that night, there’ll be witnesses who say ‘we could all hear a party with Abba playing’.”
The Telegraph also said a gathering on December 17 2020, for an official who was leaving, was for Captain Steve Higham, then one of Mr Johnson’s private secretaries, who advised on defence and national security issues.
The Prime Minister was reported to have given a speech there.
He was also reported by both the Telegraph and the Guardian to have been present at a leaving do for two No 10 private secretaries on January 14 2021.
One of the officials was said to be a senior policy adviser who was moving to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Again, Mr Johnson was reported to have made a speech, thanking the official for their work, while some guests drank prosecco.
The two papers also said another event under investigation in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 was for Hannah Young, a senior official who was leaving No 10 to become deputy consul general in New York.
Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary who organised the May 20 2020 “bring your own booze” party in the Downing Street garden, was said to have been present.
