Following Boris Johnson’s victory in the confidence vote on Monday, rebel Tory MPs have suggested that the 1922 Committee change its rules to allow another vote within a year. This would allow for another vote, which could result in the PM’s removal.
Conservative MPs should not change the rules to allow another confidence vote in the prime minister within a year, according to Sajid Javid.
On Monday night, Boris Johnson won a confidence vote among his MPs, despite 148 voting against him, according to the health secretary.
There have been suggestions that the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers change the rules that currently state that another confidence vote in a leader cannot take place within a year of winning a ballot.
“And now we just have to get to work.”
MPs who are unhappy with Mr. Johnson can write letters of no confidence to the chair of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, who announced on Monday that the threshold of 15% of Tory MPs – 54 – had done so, triggering the vote.
Following Monday’s vote, an “influential” rebel told The Times that a “majority of 1922 officers” will agree to change the rules “when the time is right” – and that they expect this to happen before the party conference in October.
However, Tory MP Karl McCartney, who serves on the 1922 Committee, claims that the executive’s 16 members “have never discussed changing the rules” and that speculation is “nonsense.”
According to a source close to the 1922 Committee, a rule change was expected to be discussed at their meeting this week, but they do not believe it will happen.
“You can’t do it after the year has begun. You could have done it before the election or after the year is up, but I don’t see how you can change the rules in the middle of the game “They stated.
Mr. Javid also addressed claims that the PM prefers to promote loyalists over experienced professionals.
“My experience is that he wants the best people in the right roles so that we can get on with dealing with the huge challenges we face as a country, especially post-pandemic,” he said.
“That’s why I believe I was asked to fill this role, for example. This is the most difficult job I’ve ever had in government.”
