UK PM Boris Johnson survives confidence vote

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a confidence vote on Monday, seeing off a challenge to his leadership brought by lawmakers within his Conservative Party. Johnson won the vote 211 to 148, securing the support of 59% of his lawmakers, a lower share than his predecessor Theresa May managed in a 2018 confidence vote. She resigned less than six months later. Johnson, who scored a sweeping election victory in 2019, has been under increasing pressure after he and staff held alcohol-fuelled parties in his Downing Street office and residence when Britain was under strict lockdowns due to COVID-19. However, the partygate scandal has brought to the fore the deep Conservative divisions, less than three years after Boris Johnson led the party to its biggest election victory in decades. "You are simply seeking to campaign, to keep changing the subject and to create political and cultural dividing lines mainly for your advantage, at a time when the economy is struggling, inflation is soaring, and growth is anaemic and best," Johnson's longtime supporter and former cabinet minister Jesse Norman said in a letter to the prime minister.

I have supported Boris Johnson for 15 years, for the London Mayoralty and for PM. Very sadly, I have written to him to say I can no longer do so, for the reasons set out below. pic.twitter.com/0Mjs4hjeSF

— Jesse Norman (@Jesse_Norman) June 6, 2022

Given the narrow margin of Johnson’s win, there is now a possibility that he might face another confidence vote in the near future. Usually, if a British leader wins a confidence vote, they are protected from another vote for 12 months. However, there have been reports that these rules may be changed — and the close nature of Monday’s result could make this more likely. Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee which oversees leadership challenges within the party, told reporters earlier Monday that while it’s “technically” possible for rules to be changed, “the rule at present is there would be a period of grace” before another vote takes place.