London, Jan 13: Senior Tories are calling upon Boris Johnson to stand down as prime minister after he admitted to attending a drinks party during lockdown, the BBC reported on Thursday.
Johnson had earlier apologised for the way he had handled the event in the Downing Street garden in 2020 and said he understood the public’s “rage” over it.
While cabinet members including deputy PM Dominic Raab have rallied round Mr Johnson, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and senior backbenchers William Wragg and Caroline Nokes have called for him to step down.
Mr Ross, an MP and an MSP, said said he would write to the 1922 Committee – which organises Tory leadership contests – to register his lack of confidence in the PM.
Another backbencher William Wragg, who chairs an influential select committee, said the prime minister’s position had become “untenable”.
If 54 backbench Conservative MPs send letters to the 1922 committee it will certainly trigger a leadership challenge.
Ministers have urged MPs to wait for the outcome of an investigation into the Downing Street parties held in alleged violation of the Covid-rules which they say will be published shortly. But a growing numbers of his own MPs want him out, because according to them Boris Johnson has already lost the benefit of the doubt and have been discussing frantically how and when his exit could take place.
