Partygate debacle: Next supporter moves away from Johnson

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Boris Johnson visiting a building project this week

Photo: Peter Byrne / dpa

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to fear for his office.

One of Johnson's staunchest supporters, Tory MP Charles Walker, resigned from him on Saturday.

A fall of Johnson is inevitable, Walker told the British Observer.

Walker said Johnson did a lot of things right, including the vaccination campaign being well managed.

But the parties at 10 Downing Street, amid the UK lockdown, would have incensed a traumatized country.

"It's just not going to get any better." Johnson had to resign.

Another Tory, Stephen Hammond, was critical.

At the weekend he will carefully consider whether he still has confidence in the prime minister.

It looks like "the beginning of the end" for Johnson.

Parties in the middle of lockdown

Johnson is under enormous pressure because of the so-called Partygate affair.

An investigation report accuses those responsible in Downing Street of leadership failure and rule-breaking, and the police are also investigating.

Several social gatherings had taken place in Downing Street during the British lockdown, with occasional drinking, bawling and dancing.

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Theresa May and Boris Johnson in Parliament: Corona rules not understood?

Photo: JESSICA TAYLOR / AFP

Johnson's predecessor Theresa May attacked the Prime Minister in Parliament.

In light of Gray's report, there are really only three explanations for the Partygate debacle, she said.

Johnson either did not read or did not understand his own corona rules – or he assumed that they did not apply to himself.

"What of it was it?"

To make matters worse, five of Johnson's close associates resigned.

Among them his political adviser Munira Mirza, who had worked for him for a total of 14 years.

On Saturday, Johnson therefore presented a new chief of staff and a new communications advisor.

Johnson has repeatedly withdrawn from the affair

The crucial question is how much support the prime minister still has in his own party.

Some MPs have already written out their support for Johnson.

Their exact number is unknown, speculation in the British press ranges from 30 to 45 such letters.

A vote of no confidence would come about if at least 54 of the 359 Tory MPs voted in writing to vote no confidence in him.

more on the subject

• Wave of resignations in the Prime Minister's team: Boris Johnson appoints new chief of staff

• Boris Johnson is fighting for office: The party goes onBy Jörg Schindler, London

It is by no means certain that Johnson will have to face such a vote.

In the past he had repeatedly freed himself from apparently hopeless situations.

In the past few days, his supporters have also spoken out.

Culture Minister Nadine Dorries said the vast majority of the party was behind Johnson.

Cabinet member Kwasi Kwarteng directly contradicted critic Walker.

In recent years, many have claimed that things are inevitable.

He prefers to wait.

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