By-election news - live: PM loses backing of more Tory MPs after disastrous defeats
Senior Tory MP says PM’s fall from power ‘is now a question of when, not if’
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Boris Johnson’s support among Tory MPs has ebbed to an all-time low after the Conservatives suffered two crushing by-election losses on Thursday.
Following the double defeats in Tiverton and Wakefield, one senior Conservative MP, who backed Mr Johnson in the no-confidence vote earlier this month, told The Independent that they had now changed their mind.
“I voted for Boris last time but I just can’t see any way out of it for him right now,” they said.
“It is now a question of when, not if. The public have made up their minds. We got it wrong in hanging on to John Major in the nineties and we can’t get it wrong a second time with Johnson.”
The former Tory leader Michael Howard has also urged Mr Johnson to step down, while a cabinet minister admitted that “the mood has shifted”.
Their statements came after the Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden resigned, citing the “disappointment” of the public over the Partygate scandal. “Someone must take responsibility,” he said.
Video: Former Tory leader Michael Howard says PM should resign after by-election defeat
Johnson a ‘very unpopular’ PM living in ‘parallel universe’, says former Tory MP
Neil Parish, the Tory MP who resigned after watching porn in the Commons, has said the prime minister is “very unpopular” and is living in a “parallel universe”.
Mr Parish’s former constituency of Tiverton & Honiton was won by the Liberal Democrats in yesterday’s by-election.
“Full credit to the Lib Dems for winning, but it’s a combination of our vote dropping dramatically, people switching, people staying at home and a very unpopular prime minister, which people have tactically voted against,” Mr Parish told Sky News after the result.
“I feel responsible in as much as I had to leave. I made a very foolish and bad mistake but I did the honourable thing and left.”
“He (the PM) has many good qualities. The trouble is he can’t just keep living in a parallel universe, there has to be reality,” the former MP added.
PM’s position now ‘more challenging’, says Welsh Tory leader
The leader of the Welsh Conservatives has become the latest Tory to suggest Boris Johnson’s premiership is growing ever “more challenging”.
Andrew RT Davies said: “Each and every day the prime minister gets up, like any leader, they have to look in the mirror and ask themselves ‘can they continue to deliver for their country and for the people who have put them into office?’
“I presume that’s getting far more challenging when the prime minister looked in the mirror these days with the messages that are coming from the ballot box such as by-elections we had last night.”
Voices: Labour’s win in Wakefield is not enough to put Keir Starmer in No 10
Labour and the Liberal Democrats seemingly had a lot to celebrate this morning after convincing by-election victories over the Conservatives in Wakeford and Tiverton & Honiton.
However, our political commentator John Rentoul believes the margin of victory indicates that Labour will struggle to win a majority at the next election.
Read more here:
Labour’s win in Wakefield is not enough to put Keir Starmer in No 10 | John Rentoul
Oliver Dowden’s resignation is a bigger blow to the prime minister than either of the by-election defeats, writes John Rentoul
Tory minister hits out at Dowden over resignation
Environment minister Zac Goldsmith appears to have criticised Oliver Dowden for resigning as chair of the Conservative party.
The Tory peer, who is a close Johnson ally, tweeted a video of Mr Dowden on Friday along with the words:
“Many, if not most politicians will enthusiastically embrace an idea if they think it helps them personally, but they will just as enthusiastically ditch it if they think that helps their fortunes. This is true of all parties.”
Lib Dems refuse to speculate about chances at next election
Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has refused to say how many seats his party would like to win at the next general election.
This comes after their victory in the Tiverton by-election yesterday.
“It is difficult to say as we are maybe two years from a general election,” Sir Ed said.
“The fact we have won three parliamentary by-elections in just over 12 months suggests we are going to make advances and are going to get rid of a lot of Conservative MPs.
“It is too early to put a number on it but we certainly intend to get rid of a lot of Conservative MPs.”
Boris Johnson must go, says ex-Tory leader Michael Howard as he urges cabinet to act
Former Conservative party leader Michael Howard has called on Boris Johnson to resign following the disastrous double defeat at by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton.
The Tory peer – who has remained quiet on the question of the leadership – also suggested that cabinet ministers should consider moving against the PM if he clings on at No 10.
Our politics correspondent Adam Forrest reports:
Boris Johnson must go, says ex-Tory leader Michael Howard
Cabinet members should ‘very carefully consider’ future, says senior figure after by-election losses
Johnson can’t just plough on as normal, ex-tractor porn MP says
The former Tory MP for Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish, whose resignation after watching porn in the House of Commons triggered the by-election in the Devon seat, has said Boris Johnson must “face reality” after losing the vote and MPs must decide the Prime Minister’s fate.
He said residents of the former Tory stronghold had spoken “loudly” by helping the Liberal Democrats overturn a 24,000 Conservative majority, a result Mr Johnson must look at “very seriously”.
Mr Parish told Breakfast on BBC Radio Devon on Friday: “What is becoming increasingly necessary is for the party, the MPs to consider what is the long-term position of the Prime Minister.
“The public are concerned.
“The people in Tiverton and Honiton have spoken and they’ve spoken loudly”.
Why is Boris Johnson in Rwanda?
Boris Johnson is not planning on openly embracing his faltering flagship policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda on a one-way ticket during his visit to the East African nation.
The prime minister is opting not to visit the centres where migrants who have been forcibly removed from the UK would be housed if the scheme gets off the ground.
Sam Blewett reports:
Why is Boris Johnson in Rwanda?
The Prime Minister will meet with the Prince of Wales after Charles was reported as branding the relocation scheme ‘appalling’.
‘Things only get worse'
Speaking in Tiverton, Ed Davey said: "For years, Boris Johnson has told people things will get better. But under his leadership, things only get worse.
"So, let me tell the prime minister what the British people expect - they expect our country to be led. And he has shown no leadership, whatsoever."
Mr Davey accused the PM of taking the British people for granted as inflation soars and working people struggle to fill up their cars.
He added: "Boris Johnson has deceived the British people and taken them for granted for far too long."
Mr Davey said the Conservatives' excuses for by-election losses to the Liberal Democrats were "starting to wear thin".
"The spinners in Number 10 call this 'expectation management'," he said. "But I can tell Number 10 - the British people are sick of having their expectations managed."
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