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.
Watch: 'We'll get through this patch': Boris Johnson responds to by-election loss
No more cabinet resignations, says Priti Patel
Home secretary Priti Patel said the prime minister told her the government is “cracking on with task” after the double by-election defeats.
Asked what Boris Johnson said to her following the results, she told LBC: “The fact of the matter is that we're cracking on with the task.”
Pressed on what the PM said, she said: “Yes, exactly that, absolutely, that we are carrying on, working to grow our economy and address the cost of living... and providing the leadership that we need in challenging times.
“We do that collectively, we really do as one government working together.”
Asked if she thought there would be more resignations, she said: “I don’t.”
‘Difficult decisions to make’ after by-election losses, 1922 committee treasurer says
The treasurer of the 1922 committee Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said the Conservatives will then have “some difficult decisions to make, no doubt” on how to move forward.
He said he will discuss the by-election defeats at a Conservative AGM (Annual General Meeting) on Friday evening and expects to make "difficult decisions".
The MP for The Cotswolds told the BBC's Today programme that MPs would in the coming days decide whether steps should be taken to oust Boris Johnson.
Speaking on a phone line, Mr Clifton-Brown said: “I'm not going to come on out this morning and speculate on behalf of my colleagues as to whether we should or shouldn't change the rules. Clearly what's going to happen over the next few days is the Prime Minister is going to set out to both his Cabinet and with us as Members of Parliament.”
The line then broke off momentarily before he added: “We will then in the parliamentary party have to make a judgment as to whether we think that is a satisfactory explanation or whether we should actually take steps to have a new prime minister.”
The Tory grandee, who voted against Mr Johnson in the confidence vote over his leadership, added: “I've got an AGM tonight, I will consider what my members say, I will then discuss this matter with my colleagues, we will hear what the prime minister says and then we will have to make some difficult decisions, no doubt.”
‘We’ve smashed it!’ says Starmer in Wakefield
More from Sir Keir Starmer in Wakefield following the by-election win.
“We’ve absolutely smashed it,” said Mr Starmer in Wakefield on Friday morning. “This is a great result. This is vindication of all of our hard work over the last two years.”
He told supporters and assembled press: “What a judgement this is on the Tories and Boris Johnson – out of touch, out of ideas, and if they had any decency they would get out the way for the sake of the country.”
Starmer added: “When we form the next Labour – and we’re going to do it – Wakefield will go down as the birthplace of that. Fantastic.”
The new Labour MP for Simon Lightwood thanked campaigners, saying: “We turned Wakefield red again. Now it’s time to get on with the job.”
Pictured: Keir Starmer arrives in Wakefield following by-election win
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party's by-election victory in Wakefield shows the Conservatives are “out of touch, out of ideas and if they had any decency they would get out of the way for the sake of the country”.
NEW: Boris Johnson responds to Oliver Dowden resignation
Boris Johnson has written a letter to former party chairman Oliver Dowden following his shock response this morning.
Mr Johnson thanked Dowden for his work as culture secretary and party chairman but insisted that he will lead the government in levelling up the country.
“Whilst I completely understand your disappointment with the by-election results, this government was elected with an historic mandate just over two years ago to unite and level up. I look forward to continuing to work together on that,” Mr Johnson wrote in the letter.
Britain no longer wants ‘liar and crook’, says Alastair Campbell
Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell told Sky News the by-election results showed the Tories were doomed to election defeat.
“The country does not want a liar and crook as prime minister and they are fed up with this cabinet of nodding dogs propping him up,” he said. “At least Oliver Dowden has had the guts to bark a little.”
Mr Campbell added: “The sooner he is gone the better it will be for Britain … There’s part of me hoping he doesn’t go, there’s part of me thinking it will be terrible for the country.”
UK ‘in chaos’ under Boris Johnson, Sir Ed Davey says
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey told LBC: “We've just had the biggest by-election victory here in Devon.
“No majority of this size has ever been overturned in a by-election, so I'm pretty chipper today.
“We are smiling here and the message from Tiverton and Honiton, the people here in Devon, is that Boris Johnson must go. I think they've spoken for the whole of the British people and it really is time he left.”
He added that the country was “in chaos” under Mr Johnson's leadership and the Conservatives appeared to have no plan.
The Liberal Democrats had fronted a “positive” campaign in the constituency with policies that had “energised” people while the current Government falters, he said.
“I think it speaks on behalf of people - Boris Johnson really must be pushed out,” Sir Ed said.
Conservatives ‘sleepwalking to defeat’ in next election, former chief of staff says
Tory peer Lord Barwell, who was Theresa May's chief of staff in No 10, said if the Conservative Party carries on as it is, it is “sleepwalking to a defeat at the next election”.
He told Sky News he was “very pleased” someone senior in the party seemed to have “finally” recognised this and done something about it, as Oliver Dowden resigned as Tory chairman.
He said Boris Johnson's authority is “very significantly diminished” and “draining away”.
Lord Barwell said Cabinet ministers have got to ask themselves what it does to their own reputations if they continue to stand by him.
“The evidence is mounting up that he has lost the support of the public that he once had, that it looks extraordinarily unlikely that he's going to be able to win that back,” he said.
“So, if they allow him to carry on, then they're going to allow him to lead the Conservative Party to a significant defeat at the next election.”
Labour frontbencher rejects electoral pact with Lib Dems
Labour’s shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry said the result in Wakefield was “fantastic” – saying a 12 per cent swing in the seat was “what we need to win a general election”.
She told Sky News: “We still have a long way to go, but this is a really good base camp if we’re going to climb a mountain.”
Rejecting the idea of a formal electoral pact with the Lib Dems, Thornberry said: “The result in Wakefield, if that was the result across the country, there would be no need for any pacts … We just fight this as Labour and we will see.”
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